How can I safely remove and replace my outdoor faucet spigot to ensure it’s a quality, long-lasting upgrade?
Asked by Emily Montgomery 
4 weeks ago
Last Updated: August 25, 2024
What’s the deal with changing an outdoor faucet? I’ve never done it before so any tips or warnings would be great.
I found this article that was pretty helpful. My biggest worry is taking the old one out (it’s pretty beat up with years of paint and stuff). How do I make sure I don’t mess up the pipe while doing this?
Also, what kind of new faucet should I get? I want something good quality and long-lasting, like a ball valve or brass. Any recommendations?
I know I should probably start this project on a weekday morning just in case I need to call a plumber (fingers crossed I don’t have a disaster like Lucille Ball). Thank you for your advice!
Well you should turn off the water supply first before figuring out if your spigot is threaded or soldered. Can you spot the pipe from a different angle, like your basement or crawl space? If it’s soldered, you’ll have to desolder the coupling or cut the pipe to get rid of this spigot. If it’s threaded, you might need some help. It’s hard to tell if this spigot is screwed onto a pipe just outside the wall or connected inside. In any case, you’ll likely need someone to hold the pipe in place while you use another pipe wrench to remove the spigot. If you take things apart, you might discover that the pipe is too damaged to use and may need replacing. Or it could be just fine. For a replacement, especially in areas prone to freezing, I recommend a frost-proof spigot. It prevents freezing and breaking. This particular one might just need new seals. It can be disassembled easily and have its parts replaced to stop the leaks. You can even swap out the handle. No need to strip off any paint. Sometimes the valve set is the issue, but there’s a tool to fix that and replace the valve parts. It will be good as new on the inside, even if it’s still covered in paint.
Unfortunately, there’s no basement or crawl space. I might have to remove paneling and possibly cut into the concrete block to see what’s behind there.
Instead of typing all this out, check out this video. It will guide you on how to fix your spigot. ood luck. https://youtube.com/watch?v=w7BSrWH1Ck&si=bKj-iYdHCggdnH2
If it’s dripping, you can simply replace the inner components with a new o-ring washer and it should be good as new.
Check if it’s a copper or galvanized pipe supplying the water. If it’s copper, you might be able to use a pipe wrench to remove it. Have someone inside hold the pipe while you do this. If it’s soldered, you’ll need to heat the joint inside the house to remove it and solder it back. In cold climates, consider switching to a freeze sillcock that extends the shut off point into the heated house to prevent frozen pipes.