Why does one of my hose spigots consistently fail to flow water each spring, despite turning off the water and using a foam cap?
Asked by Patricia Angulo 
3 months ago
Last Updated: September 15, 2024
So here’s the deal – every winter I make sure to drain and shut off the water for both of my hose spigots. I even put those foam caps around them for extra protection. But for the past three years, one of my spigots just refuses to work when spring rolls around. The water flows perfectly fine to the shut-off valve, but for some reason it just won’t come out of the spigot. I’ve checked the ball valve inside and it seems to be turning smoothly with no problems. Any idea what could be causing this and why I have to deal with it every single year?
Make sure to turn off the water to it and then open it up so it can’t build pressure over the winter. When spring comes, close it back up and turn the water back on.
Do you normally close the handle during winter? If not, even if you drain it before turning off the valve inside, water can still get trapped in the spigot and freeze, causing it to break.
Please explain further because I’ve only been working as a plumber for eight years. I’ve seen these freeze even when people shut them off at the valve in winter. If you don’t keep the faucet open, it can still freeze. And if the faucet doesn’t fit fully inside the house, it’ll freeze. Would love to hear your thoughts.
It’s a frost proof spigot.
Was it installed correctly? You have to make sure the fall is going out of the house so the water drains out fully when you shut it off. Make sure the line on the back is inside the house too. If not, it might freeze. Frost free sounds good, but it’s all about the perfect install. The concept is there, but you should still shut it off and drain it over the winter.
There could be several factors causing the need to replace it every year. Is this the exact faucet you currently have? Who was the one who installed it? Could you possibly share a picture of it on your house?
Do you think it would work to add a 3-way “tee” ball valve before installing the spigot? This 3-way valve allows you to drain the waterline between the shutoff and spigot. It’s a relatively inexpensive fitting, around $30, and should solve your issue.
I was just thinking that maybe your climate is not properly insulated in that cavity. The frost-free length seems a bit short. Cold air is still getting in where the washer is. You might want to insulate or get a longer frost-free option. I believe they go up to around 14 inches.
‘t forget to disconnect the hose. It’s not frost-proof if you leave it attached.
Yes I always bring my hose in every winter.
I’m just here for the dumb comments.
I also happen to be a Master Plumber with 42 years of experience in the Trade, Me too..🤣
You need to get in line!
It probably froze and caused the pellet at the end of the cartridge to break. Remove the inner parts to check water flow. If it works, get a new hose bib. Remember to remove the cartridge every autumn.
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This might sound strange, but occasionally bees can fly into the spigot and block it with pollen or mud. They mistake it for a safe nesting spot, flying in and creating a blockage.
We once had a water feature on our patio, and every spring we’d fill it up only to find no water coming out. I had to use a sturdy piece of copper wire to clear the blockage. The water would initially flow yellow with pollen, and sometimes even a bee or two would come out.
I use screw-on caps for all my spigots after shutting them off. Had a mud wasp trying to build a nest once. I do the same for my unattached hoses. Left a drip hose out once and ants had a great time building a nest in it.
Here we have a vacuum breaker. Some varieties come with a diaphragm that is inexpensive and tends to dry out, becoming inflexible and unable to seal properly against the downward flow of water outside the seat. Simply swap it for a silicone rubber diaphragm.
This^
First, turn off the water inside and then open the valve.
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You might have to take it apart to understand why. Other than that, as long as you have a frost-free spigot installed properly, you don’t need to use the styrofoam container outside.
Make sure you’re connecting it in the right orientation, paying attention to the flow direction of the water. Look for the small arrow indicators. 👍👍👍
Is the faucet angled downwards? My understanding is that they need to be installed with a slight downward slope to function properly.
Why bother with all that? This faucet is designed not to freeze 😬