kitchen faucet wholesaler
- Through the vacuum breaker (when its turned on)
Leaky outside faucets that are frost free can be deceiving because they will drain water for several seconds after they are turned off. The reason they continue draining is because the valve that shuts the water off is several inches behind the basin faucet , usually about 12 to 18 inches. This is so there will be no water close to the outside of the house where it is more likely to freeze. It is normal for a frost free hose bib to drain water after it is shut off. If the water does not stop after a few seconds or water is coming from some other part of the faucet than the spout then you most likely have a leaky faucet. Keep reading to learn how to fix the most common leaks for an outside faucet.
Leaking Through The Vacuum Breaker: Frost free hose bibs have a vacuum breaker that sits just above the faucet handle. The vacuum breaker allows air to come into the faucet when it is shut off so that the water can drain out of the stem that goes back into the wall of the house. Water should not come out of the vacuum breaker when the faucet is turned on, it is a one way valve that should only let air in. If water comes out of the vacuum breaker then the internal parts are most likely not working properly.
Repair The Vacuum Breaker: Remove the cap covering the vacuum breaker by applying even and upward pressure on both sides of the cap. Under the cap you will see the vacuum breaker parts. Try to clean them. If cleaning the vacuum breaker parts does not stop the leak then you will need to buy replacement parts at a local plumbing store.
Leaking Around The Handle: Make sure you turn the water off before removing the packing nut or other valve parts. There are several nuts and washers inside the leaky faucet. The packing nut is directly behind the faucet handle, it holds the parts inside the faucet stem. There is a washer directly behind the packing nut.
- Repair The Leak Around The Faucet Handle: First try to tighten the packing nut. Use the adjustable wrench to tighten the nut until it is snug. Don't over tighten the packing nut just make it snug. If you tighten the packing nut and still have a leak around the faucet handle then you will need to replace the washer behind the packing nut. Remove the packing nut and pull the stem out of the faucet body. The handle must be removed from the stem in order to get the packing nut and washer off. Take the faucet to a plumbing supply store and match the washer. Re-assemble the washer and packing nut in the same order they were removed from the stem. If you purchased a repair kit you should replace all the other washers at this time to help prevent further leaks from other parts wearing out.