Spring is here and any minute people are going to start watering lawns and topping off swimming pools on an almost constant basis.
Here in our lovely state of Texas, temps rise rapidly and stay that way for protracted lengths of time. As such, we are fighting a never-ending battle against the elements to keep things from drying out.
Many people are about to open up their hose-bibs (outside faucets) for the first time of the year.
This, to our chagrin, is when we realize for the first time that our hose-bibs have burst inside of the wall and are spraying most of the water emitted into the wall itself, rather than out of the hose as expected.
This is what a burst hose-bib looks like. Imagine the water damage this can cause!
There are a couple of potential reasons for a burst hose-bib:
- The hose-bib was not installed at the proper pitch (angle). They are designed to be installed at a slight downward angle allowing the water to drain from the valve body.
- Someone left a hose connected to the faucet.
- Either of the two above scenarios coupled with a lack of proper insulation (particularly on faucets installed on north-facing walls).
The “frost-proof” aspect of these faucets becomes utterly defeated when they are unable to drain. Water that remains inside of the faucet expands when frozen and easily tears the brittle copper valve body.
Be Cautious When You Use the Faucet for the 1st Time of the Season …
Since the washer and seat of these faucets are usually 4-6 inches inside of the insulated wall (another frost-proofing aspect of the design), the hose-bib will only leak when someone attempts to use the faucet for the first time of the season.
The most common sign that your hose-bib has burst is water pouring out of weep holes in the brick mortar around the foundation of the home.
So, keep an eye on the wall beneath your hose-bibs when you turn them on this spring.
If you catch it as soon as this occurs the first time, you can save yourself significant damage to the interior of the home.
Imagine the alternative:
You hook up your hose to fill the pool or water the lawn, turn on the valve and then walk away from it for an hour or two assuming that all was well. But it’s not, and you don’t notice there’s a problem.
At a gallon/minute, a LOT of water dumps into your wall, soaking carpets, wicking up drywall, causing mold and all sorts of costly issues that go along with water damage!
If you want us to come and check-out the hose-bibs at your house before you use them this year, give us a call at 972-424-6479
Gary’s Quality Plumbing would be happy to give you some peace of mind.
Article by Danny Skinner, M41026, a Registered Master Plumber by Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, a family member and plumber on the Gary’s Quality Plumbing team.
