Fix it

Why is my outdoor faucet leaking?

An outdoor spigot leaks from exactly three places — the spout, the stem, or invisibly inside the wall — and the third one is the reason this small fixture deserves quick attention after every hard winter.

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What it usually is

  1. A worn washer dripping at the spout

    The classic drip after shutoff: the rubber seat washer at the end of the stem has grooved and no longer seals. Ten-minute repair with the water off.

  2. Packing leaking at the handle stem

    Water weeping around the handle only while the faucet runs is the packing nut — often fixed with a gentle quarter-turn snug, or new packing string.

  3. A frost-split pipe hidden in the wall

    A hose left connected through a freeze traps water in the barrel of a freeze-proof spigot; the pipe splits INSIDE the wall and leaks there only while the faucet runs. Reduced flow plus any dampness at the interior wall is this, and it does real damage quietly.

  4. A failed vacuum breaker cap spraying up

    The anti-siphon cap on top sprays or drips when its internal parts wear; caps are replaceable on most models.

What you can check yourself

Drip at the spout: shut the interior supply if there is one, pull the handle and stem, replace the washer. Handle weep: snug the packing nut a quarter turn. Then the important test: run the faucet and inspect the interior side of that wall — any moisture means stop and escalate.

When it’s a job for a pro

A frost-split barrel means replacing the sillcock — plumber work with wall access questions better answered by someone who has opened a hundred of them. Consider the upgrade to a freeze-proof model with proper pitch while it is apart.

Washers and packing are under $10 DIY; sillcock replacement typically runs $150 to $400 depending on access. A winter of in-wall leaking costs drywall, framing and patience.

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