OK, here's the scoop. Winter is coming and soon it will be time to turn off the water to the faucet that extends just outside the brick exterior of the house. This is necessary I assume to keep the pipes from freezing (?). I have tried every inside valve/faucet whatever and turned them on and off to try to find the one that shuts off that outside faucet and nothing. What is the worst that could happen if I never find it and never get that water turned off inside the house? And if it is absolutely imperative to find it, how do I locate it?

 

A lot depends on where you are located. If your house does not have an interior shut off it may not be common in your area. I'm in NC and they are very rare. Most newer builds have frost proof spigots that are OK to freeze as long as there is no hose attached. Even older faucets survive our daily freeze thaw cycling OK as long as no hose is attached. If you are further north shutoffs inside the house are more common. They are generally located a foot or two up the pipe that supplies the outside spigot but not every home has them.

 

You might have found the valve and it doesn't work. This is common with old gate valves. Turn to the right to seat it and nothing happens.

Hang in for other input, not much freezing here. You'll probably want to install a new frost proof valve (sillcock). These special valves have the "guts" of the valve well within the house.

 

Thank you both. I'm in NE Ohio and the hose is definitely off the outside faucet. The house was built in 1966. I do encourage other input. I would like to know more about frost proof valves etc, especially ones that a local plumber could easily provide and install if needed.

 

Below is a typical frost proof valve. It's been awhile since I was raised in Ohio and froze.
Any good plumber in your area will be well familiar with these. It's also DIY if you feel like getting the torch out.

 

The front part of that valve looks just like the one that is already installed, including the circular part on top. How can I confirm whether the valve I already have is such a valve?

 

One way to tell is go to the spigot and turn the water on then off. If the handle stops turning when turning it off but the water continues to dribble out for a second or two that's a good sign you have a frost proof sillcock. The actual valve that opens and closes is way in the back connected to the knob by a long shaft. When the valve is opened it's carried through the long tubular body of the spigot where it emerges outside. The dribbling water after turning it off is the water draining out of the long tube. This is what helps make it frost proof. When off (and no hose is attached) the water drains out of the tube so there is nothing to freeze. The valve and your water line are a safe distance inside the home where it's warm enough to prevent freezing.



These faucets work very well but you can NEVER leave a hose connected in freezing weather. An old fashioned non-frost proof spigot can actually survive freezing pretty well. Frost proof sillcocks burst rather easily if a hose is left attached in freezing temperatures. Worst of all the rupture usually happens deep inside so the water leaks inside your home.

 

This is the faucet in question. It looks like the kind you recommend is already installed. Do you recognize the brand or the elements of this faucet enough to confirm that this is the right type of valve?

 

Thats a very good mansfield faucet... Yes its frost free. Just make sure to remove the hose for the winter..

As far as shut off.. Whats on the other side of the wall?

Often there is an access panel in the wall..

Is this house on a slab , crawl, basement?

Often the valve is under a sink if on a slab. Sometimes in the utility room on the wall somewhere near the main, water heater etc...







Trap doors in basement...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]56322[/ATTACH]


Door in wall..

[ATTACH=CONFIG]56323[/ATTACH]


This is what happenes when you leave a hose attached in the winter...

 

Thank you. It's a full basement. Directly behind the outside faucet where the pipe comes inside it is wide open with the insulation showing and all the pipe showing. No inside shut off, and no place you can't look into where there could be one as far as I can tell. And the hose is off.