Backyard leaking faucet

[red]

Looking for some advice on how to repair my backyard faucet. The problem is that water sprays out the stem area when water is turned on. I had planned on putting new packing in the stem and also replacing the washer.

My problem now is that I can’t figure out how the take the faucet apart to make the repair. I thought I could unscrew the section between the 2 arrows on the photo but that is a solid piece. It looks to me as though the faucet is a single piece from handle to threaded end and may soldered to the water supply pipe.

The house is about 30 years old and the faucet may be part of the original construction.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[sarg]

If I were in your situation I would replace the compression bib with a quarter turn ball valve.
Probably cheaper and will last much longer without "rebuilds" every couple years.

.

 

[arctic bill]

You have an emco tap or faucet this is what you do
1) turn off the water.
2) open the faucet 100%
3) with a wrench hold the square part nearest the wall at least 8 - 10 inches long
4) with another wrench unscrew the six sides nut again 8-10 inches
5) replace washer or turn the washer upside down .
reassemble and open water

 

[Riickk]

New valve cheaper than time you'd spend repairing it.

 

[red]

What would be the best method to detached the old tap?
I think the faucet is just 1 solid piece, at least I can't see anywhere that parts would screw together.
There is about 1/2" of water supply line exposed between the threaded end of the tap and the brick wall.

 

[Jeff Handy]

It depends on what material the water line is made of.

It looks like galvanized from your pic, but it could be copper.

So it might be able to be unscrewed, or it might be soldered on.

Unless you have a shutoff valve that can isolate this faucet during your repair attempt, you should hire this out.

Otherwise, maybe all the water in the house will need to be off, until you can get a plumber out there, because water is now gushing out from the sillcock and it can’t be shut off anymore.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Looking at your pic again, I think the supply pipe is copper, so it is likely soldered on there.

 

[Riickk]

Yup, looking closely, the pipe goes in, inside the threaded end.
But, unless the OP is where winter consists of below 50 for more than a whole day (exaggeration), faucet would have to have a shutoff to avoid freezing water breaking pipes.

 

[red]

There is a separate shut off for this tap, I turn the water off for the winter months (live in Toronto area). The water supply is copper pipe.

I have been trying to unscrew the tap but it seems to be frozen on, been giving it regular doses of WD40 and then trying to brush the oil in for the past few days.

Any suggestions on on how to loosen the connection?

 

[JG plumbing]

There is a separate shut off for this tap, I turn the water off for the winter months (live in Toronto area). The water supply is copper pipe.

I have been trying to unscrew the tap but it seems to be frozen on, been giving it regular doses of WD40 and then trying to brush the oil in for the past few days.

Any suggestions on on how to loosen the connection?

What size wrenches are you using?

 

[red]

I had been using adjustable wrench which was snug fit when fully open & a vice grip

Just realized that Ii have 2 pipe wrenches which open to width of 1 1/4" and handle length is about 8" which I wasn't using. Is pipe wrench or adjustable wrench better tool for this application?

 

[JG plumbing]

It's more about the length of the wrench. A 12" Cresent wrench would get you, with a pipe wrench (14" or 18") back up.

 

[Jeff Handy]

If is 99 percent likely that the sillcock is soldered onto the copper supply pipe.

So wrenches will not remove it.

The correct solution would be to install a frostproof sillcock.

You might have to enlarge the hole in the bricks, it depends what you find once you clear out the mortar or caulk shown in your pic.

The body of the new sillcock will be thicker, and there will be a larger fitting at the attachment end.

You can attach it in several ways.

You can buy a Sharkbite type of sillcock that can just push connect onto a clean and straight cut on the copper pipe.
Which will be just inside the house, usually about a foot from the outside surface.

You can buy a solder on type of sillcock.

Or you can solder a female adapter onto the copper pipe, and then screw on the new
sillcock.

You can also just heat up the old connection with a torch and pull it off.
Clean up the old solder, and sweat on a new conventional sillcock.

Of course, make sure the inside shutoff is closed.
And open the sillcock to drain the water before torching on it.
Otherwise you can generate steam will can burn you, and it is almost impossible to heat up the fitting enough to release it while wet inside.

 

[JG plumbing]

Wrenches were to rebuild not remove.

 

[Riickk]

Another good look at the faucet...
It is designed to unscrew, but looks backwards from most.

Remove blue handle

When using 2 pipe wrenches, one is there to hold things still, the other to accomplish tightening or opening connection. Front of faucet looks like the nut farthest from wall unscrews so that the hex gets farther away from front of faucet.. (closer to wall). May loosen by going clockwise or counterclockwise.
HOLD faucet still with pipe wrench on nut closest to wall, and unscrewnut in front.

If you've been trying to loosen going clockwise and no go, reverse your approach. If it's stuck good, drain pipes and apply heat - torch or at least, hairdryer. No? try soaking... plastic bag full of vinegar, shove faucet inside, tieoff with rubber band, let soak overnight.

 

[arctic bill]

Another good look at the faucet...
It is designed to unscrew, but looks backwards from most.

Remove blue handle

When using 2 pipe wrenches, one is there to hold things still, the other to accomplish tightening or opening connection. Front of faucet looks like the nut farthest from wall unscrews so that the hex gets farther away from front of faucet.. (closer to wall). May loosen by going clockwise or counterclockwise.
HOLD faucet still with pipe wrench on nut closest to wall, and unscrewnut in front.

If you've been trying to loosen going clockwise and no go, reverse your approach. If it's stuck good, drain pipes and apply heat - torch or at least, hairdryer. No? try soaking... plastic bag full of vinegar, shove faucet inside, tieoff with rubber band, let soak overnight.

the faucet is not back wards, to open it is counter clock wise .
the same with the cartridge , i have install 100 of these,

 

[Riickk]

the faucet is not back wards, to open it is counter clock wise .
the same with the cartridge , i have install 100 of these,

I wasn't talking about how it would screw onto or into a supply pipe.
I was talking about the nut nearest the handle. Look like build up of minerals along front edge, which, it would seem to me, would only come if it threaded out from the body toward the front.
Hey, I can be wrong, happens a lot; Thankfully, usually not on anything important.

 

[arctic bill]

I wasn't talking about how it would screw onto or into a supply pipe.
I was talking about the nut nearest the handle. Look like build up of minerals along front edge, which, it would seem to me, would only come if it threaded out from the body toward the front.
Hey, I can be wrong, happens a lot; Thankfully, usually not on anything important.

the supply pipe is solder on. go and do what it told you to do.