What goes wrong with outdoor faucets?
- It drips from the spout when it is shut. The washer or seat inside is worn.
- It leaks around the handle when it is on. The packing is worn.
- It sprays from the top when a hose is attached. The vacuum breaker has failed.
- Water runs inside the wall or under the house when it is on. The pipe behind it has split.
- The handle spins or has broken off.
- Little water comes out. The faucet or the old pipe feeding it is clogged.
Should a hose bib be repaired or replaced?
A worn washer or packing is a quick repair. A corroded, cracked or very old faucet is better replaced, since a new one costs little more than the repair. If the leak is in the pipe behind the faucet, that pipe is repaired too.
Why is water leaking inside the wall when I use the hose?
The pipe just behind the faucet has cracked. It only leaks when the faucet is on, so it can go unnoticed while it wets the wall or crawl space. If you see a damp patch on the inside wall behind an outdoor faucet, have it looked at.
Can you add an outdoor faucet where there is none?
Yes. We run a new line to the side or back of the house, to a garden, or to a spot by the driveway, and fit a faucet with the backflow protection plumbing code calls for. We can also add a shutoff for it inside.
What does a small outdoor leak cost me?
More than it looks. A steady drip runs all day and night, and a leak behind the wall can damage siding, framing and the foundation area. It is one of the cheapest plumbing repairs to make and one of the more expensive to ignore.
Where do you work?
We are based in Hayward and repair outdoor faucets across the East Bay. For bigger outdoor water work, see water line repair. For backflow assemblies on irrigation systems, see backflow preventers.
Who is Friendly Services?
A family-owned plumbing company with over 20 years in Hayward. License CSLB #1156315 (C-36 plumbing), $1M general liability cover and workers' comp. Our own work has a five-year workmanship warranty, and we have 100+ five-star reviews online.