How to repair/replace an outdoor frost-free faucet

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My outside water tap was dripping for about a year and finally, water started squiring out from around the handle. After shutting off the water and removing the inner parts, I noticed the seal was damaged. The folks at the hardware store informed me that it's best to replace the unit instead of trying to fix it. I bought a new one, completely uninstalled the old one and hooked up the new tap. It's a pretty easy process and when you can do it yourself, you can save yourself some money.

[discombobulatedfishbowl]

Thank you so much! My faucet was leaking from the top valve & the handle. Also leaking from the spigot. Basically, the entire thing was bad! Watched your video, went to Home Depot, spent $29, then had the new faucet in and working less than 10 minutes. -53 yr old single female-

[brainsironically]

I kinda think that hardware store ripped you off... BUT, on the plus side, I had no idea how to replace one of those faucets and now I do. So at least it was a learning experience for me. Thanks a lot for the vid!

[rogeredrinn]

My outdoor faucet while fundamentally as you described, it was vastly different at both ends. The end rubber seal had a metal cage around the sealing washer, my SAK helped remove the old seal. At the bonnet end there was a tight soft plastic packing just under the bonnet nut, removed in pieces with a small screw driver and not replaced.
Seems every manufacture of these freeze proof faucets has to put there own spin on the design.
In any case your video helped . . . Thank you,

[gtdodgeviper]

I seen that in new homes they leave a loop on the pex before connecting to the faucet. That loop allows you to pull the faucet out of the house and replace it and then you just push it back inside the wall. No need to get inside the basement or crawl space or to break the Sheetrock.

[tomktl]

This helped a lot....I have one spare from the front of the house that is not used since I installed a front porch....will swap out the old one as it was damaged by roofing contractors years ago !

[Kro_man_tx]

Basements and all the access they provide must be great. We don't have them here in Texas, so my faucet is completely sealed up in the wall behind the brick. I will have to find the washers I need. Replacing the whole thing would mean tearing out the interior wall and cutting a hole in the outer sheeting behind the brick just to get to the whole faucet.

[wellboar]

I just fixed mine today, cost me $2.00 and took me 1/2 hr from the time I took it apart, bought the washer and put it all together.

[johndias]

Thank you for taking the time to record this. I'm in a no freeze area so if I can access the back end (I'm in a manufactured home), I'll remove the whole thing and replace it with straight pipe and a regular hose bib.

[JRsVsO]

Perfect video. Only I don't have pex. I have copper and my faucet on the outside is plastered on. So I gotta do some actually plumbing by cutting the copper pipe, hammer the old one out and then install new 12" pipe and solder the new conection.

[fd]

I took the inside part out of the new faucet, and installed it into the old faucet. Was fixed in 5 mins.

[jonchavr]

I have a very similar outdoor faucet (like the one you replaced) that has a metal decal stating "Anderson Barrows" made in Taiwan, however, it appears to be no longer made. The hard rubber/neoprene flat washer that has failed measures 0.475" in diameter but I was unable to find this size online and assume a 1/2" (0.500) flat washer will suffice. A current manufacturer of a very similar frost free outdoor faucet is made by B & K, "104-403 8" WALL HYDRANT". It does seem most of these faucets are now of the 'anti-siphon' type which is probably much safer as they prevent the backflow of water from a connected hose and possibly toxic chemicals back into one's drinking water supply.

[leswhynin]

If you can't access the faucet connection inside the house or if it is a tough job for whatever reason, you can buy another frost-free faucet of the same length, remove its stem, and use it to replace the broken stem.

As others have noted, it is possible in theory to replace just the worn o-ring or gasket, but I had trouble finding one of the exact same dimensions.

[fredastaire]

Great video! My wife and I are going through this same problem now. Totally DIY-able and save us a few bucks. Thank You!

[glenmcwhorter]

Man, that looks just like our one right now! Spraying everywhere. Thanks for the video, now I know what to do.

[ronberezowski]

Hello all. I had the exact same problem as you did, but with the gushing hole and leaking siphon cap. I managed to find a "Repair Kit for Anti-Siphon Faucets" at Home Hardware (in Canada). Turns out the washer cap and washer at the end of the stem were missing, and the siphon cap washer was leaking as well. I had to flush the line for about five seconds and the missing washer and screw came out. Used all the parts in the kit to replace the washer cap assembly (metal collar, washers, screw), as well as the two metal washers and rubber washer at the faucet end, as well as a new faucet handle. Also replaced the entire siphon cap and internal parts. Put the stem back in, tightened everything and put the water back on - success! No more leaks or spraying fountains of water, and I now have enough water pressure to run my pressure washer from this faucet. Total cost was CDN $13.99 plus some time checking out videos like this and some other sites with instructions. As my faucet is soldered directly to the water pipe, I can't easily replace this entire unit. So glad I was able to find this repair kit, otherwise I would need to get someone to remove and replace everything. Hopefully this will last for a while, I have had this faucet in place for at least five years or more.

[LubomirGeorgiev]

My new local TrueValue sold me a replacement kit with all the bits that go bad over the years. It was 1/3 the cost of the whole unit.

[nelsonomicsruns]

This Old House said you can replace the head gasket/cupping with tape and mash it down. I wonder if you can do it for this gasket too

[Blake]

Great video.  Have the same issue only the basement is drywalled in and the builder did not leave an access portal to work from the inside..

[csx]

Good video of capable repair. I get the impression from commenters they're somewhat reluctant to accept technical information from somewhat who couldn't successfully find washers and do a simple faucet washer repair.

[leafeq]

Exact same thing happening to my faucet. I feel like a plumber now but I’ll have to put this to the test.

Thanks for educating “we the people who are not plumbers” on this simple DIY at home. 😁

BTW a plumber quoted me 600 bucks 👎🏻