Issue with my outdoor hose valve


  #1  
Old 04-07-15, 07:47 AM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Issue with my outdoor hose valve

I have a valve right outside the house, along the wall. When I went to turn it on for the first time, water gushed out through the inside of the wall into the house, it appears to come out about a foot before the valve itself. I'm assuming a pipe burst during the winter..

My main question is, if a pipe burst - why would it only leak when I open the valve? I would expect it to always have water pressure and be leaking, unless the valve itself is the issue..Does this sound right?

It looks like i'd need to open the wall from the outside to take a look, which I may have to get someone to do..
 
  #2  
Old 04-07-15, 08:50 AM
K
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 647
Upvotes: 0
Received 4 Upvotes on 4 Posts
Did you leave a hose attached to it over the winter?
 
  #3  
Old 04-07-15, 09:08 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,660
Received 2,154 Upvotes on 1,929 Posts
Yes, it sounds like a hose was left attached to the spigot during freezing weather. I assume you have a frost proof spigot. That type has the actual valve that opens and closes some distance (6", 8", 12"...) inside the wall to protect it from freezing. The knob you turn is connected to the valve by a long rod.

When a hose is not attached the water in the long tube between the valve and spigot you see can drain out so there is little risk of freezing damaging anything. If you leave a hose attached it traps water in the body of the spigot. The water outside freezes first which forms a plug. As the freezing progresses the expanding ice creates more and more pressure that's trapped between the ice plug and the valve inside the wall eventually rupturing the body of the spigot.

 
  #4  
Old 04-07-15, 03:14 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thank you, now it makes sense! I think I had a Y splitter thing attached to it AND a hose.. Completely forgot to take them off before the winter..

Do you think I can fix this myself without much damage to the outside wall? I've worked with the copper pipe coupling things they sell in home depot, but if there is anything better I'm sure I can take care of it. My biggest concern is not being able to patch up any wall I have to go through..

Here is what it looks like, I can pull it out without much force about an inch:

http://i.imgur.com/NOIIUIY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/nDBdm0S.jpg
 
  #5  
Old 04-07-15, 03:22 PM
K
Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 647
Upvotes: 0
Received 4 Upvotes on 4 Posts
The pipes should be in your floor joist cavity, not in the wall. Do you have access to the basement where that goes in the house?
 
  #6  
Old 04-07-15, 03:42 PM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,660
Received 2,154 Upvotes on 1,929 Posts
Yes, you should be able to replace it yourself. Luckily the damage is probably in the spigot. The big part is getting access to the back of the spigot where it joins your house's plumbing. If you don't have a shutoff valve in the line to the spigot you may have to turn off the main water shutoff. The spigot either has a threaded or sweated (soldered) fitting to connect to the piping.

Frost proof spigots are available in different lengths. If you get the same length as your current one you might be able to replace it quite easily. Worst case you'll have to shorten or lengthen your house's piping to match up to the spigot's length.
 
  #7  
Old 04-07-15, 04:14 PM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks! I'm pretty sure I can figure out the replacement, how would I approach getting it so I can replace it?

My first idea would be I need to open a big enough whole I'm the wall to get my hands in.. I'm just trying to figure out what to search for and how to begin so I get this done right.

Also, the spigot is definitely straight right? If it had a bend I think would make it more difficult but based on your description and picture it sounds like it should not be.
 
  #8  
Old 04-08-15, 06:15 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,660
Received 2,154 Upvotes on 1,929 Posts
The spigot is straight. So once it's disconnected from the piping it should pull straight out. Some have a fitting sweated on and if that was installed after it was slid through the wall then you might have to remove it before you can pull it out. When they need replacing I just chop them in half with a reciprocating saw. That way it's easy to pull the old out through the wall and it frees up space to remove the other half from your house's piping.

If you have to cut a hole through a ceiling, especially if it's sheetrock, I cut back to the middle of the adjoining studs/joists. Also, mark off the area to be cut with nice straight lines and 90 degree corners to make fitting the patch piece easier. Going from joist to joist also usually creates a hole large enough you can actually work as you'll probably have to sweat/solder or turn a wrench in there.

Oh, and before you attach the new spigot to the house's supply piping make sure you screw the new spigot to the house from the outside. There's nothing worse than getting it all hooked up and go outside and see that it's sticking out an inch too far or that it rotated with the knob at a funny angle.
 
  #9  
Old 04-08-15, 06:22 AM
J
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Great, thank you for all the help. It sounds like I want to get at it from inside then.. I'll try to get it gone this weekend and report back.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: