Fixing Leaky Spigots
You can see the build-up over time on the water cup or toothbrush holder.Sometimes unseen chlorine and other distasteful chemicals are the culprit.Sometimes they only leak when the water is turned on. In more extreme cases they leak all the time, sometimes a small drip, other times a serious flow. But all these problems are easy and inexpensive to repair.
If the spigot only leaks when the valve is turned counter clockwise, it may well be just a worn rubber grommet at the base of the valve stem. Like most rubber washers they eventually get compressed or develop small holes.
That’s easy to fix with a cheap, temporary repair job. Remove the nut that fits onto the spigot in which the stem sits. Grab a foot long length of Teflon plumber’s tape and wrap it around the base of the stem behind the nut. Get the tape in as far as you can and wind it over and over itself. Then tighten the nut to compress the tape back against the washer. That will stop many small leaks.
Twist and pull moderately, and if necessary squirt something in the hose lip that will dissolve calcium carbonate and/or aluminum or copper oxide.It takes only moderate force to unwind it in some cases. For those that have been on a long time, small amounts of oxidation can cause the sillcock to be stuck on firmly.For those cases, a good pair of vice grips or a pipe wrench can be used on the inside of the sillcock. The threads are usually grooved in front of a nut that is an integrated part of the pipe leading to the outside spigot. Attach the wrench firmly to the ‘nut’ to ensure there’s no slippage. You don’t want to strip the metal smooth.
Just follow the instructions. Take care, though, when mounting on the wall to drive into a stud or to use good dry-wall screw holders. Cannisters full of water can weigh several pounds.That can be accomplished by using a good pair of wide-jaw pliers gripped and directed in the opposite direction. It’s important not to twist the pipe the sillcock threads onto, since it can be broken. That would lead to a job requiring welding or replacement of an entire length of pipe.Sillcocks are usually no more than $10, even the anti-siphon style that prevents trapped frozen water from breaking the pipe. They screw back on easily. Just wind on a length of Teflon plumber’s tape in the right direction first. Make sure the tape is stretched tighter not loosened as you wind on the new sillcock.
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