Breaking vacuum on frostproof hose bib

[SmileyMn]

Hi,

I had to replace my outdoor hose bibs due to broken threads.
I installed the new frostproof sillcocks as I live in Mn where it's cold.

On of my new sillcocks doesn't have the best angle so I'm not sure if water drains out of it when the sillcock is closed.

I have an easily accessible shutoff valve for it in the mechanical room of my basement.

Just for my own sanity, I want to shut off the water to the hosebib in the winter - even though it's frostproof.

My question is that the new hose bib has an integrated vacuum (I imagine to prevent backflow).

How can I easily break the seal on the hose bib so I can drain the water through the shutoff? The water is shut off and the tiny drain in the bottom of the shutoff is open and the sillcock is open yet the water isn't draining out of the line.

Is there an easy way to do this?

Thank you!

 

[99k]

It sounds like you have a negative that will trap water ... not desirable. If I were you, I would just shutoff the water inside the house at the valve and open the sillcock.
If it breaks, no big deal. Put a new one in next year with the proper pitch so it self drains.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[SmileyMn]

Happy Friday!

I checked last night with a level and I do have the slope correct. When I shut off water outside, it is draining the pipe.

It's a 12" frostfree hose bib with anti-siphon.
The anti-siphon feature is a cap on top of the hose bib.

The bib is made by Homewerks and is from Home Depot.

Their is a brass threaded cap which is part of the anti-siphon.
When I unscrew it, there appears to be some type of plastic washer or gasket underneath. Does this unscrew?

What I'm trying to find out is how to momentarily defeat the anti-siphon feature of this hose bib to break the vacuum and drain the water from the hose bib to the shutoff in the basement.

I looked inside the open bottom part of the sillcock and there is no sleeve or post which would break the vacuum - I think it must have to do with the brass threaded cap and parts underneath in the top of the bib.

Thank you!

 

[Howard M Emerson]

Happy Friday!

I checked last night with a level and I do have the slope correct. When I shut off water outside, it is draining the pipe.

It's a 12" frostfree hose bib with anti-siphon.
The anti-siphon feature is a cap on top of the hose bib.

The bib is made by Homewerks and is from Home Depot.

Their is a brass threaded cap which is part of the anti-siphon.
When I unscrew it, there appears to be some type of plastic washer or gasket underneath. Does this unscrew?

What I'm trying to find out is how to momentarily defeat the anti-siphon feature of this hose bib to break the vacuum and drain the water from the hose bib to the shutoff in the basement.

I looked inside the open bottom part of the sillcock and there is no sleeve or post which would break the vacuum - I think it must have to do with the brass threaded cap and parts underneath in the top of the bib.

Thank you!

I bet if you took a hair dryer, or some other 'safe' heat source and applied it to the exposed pipe inside the basement, it would drain off once you equalized the vacuum by expanding the air that's in there, right??

Calling Mr.Wizard........

HE

 

[Terry]

If it's a frostfree bib, then it's designed to be worry free.

 

[Bill Arden]

It's a 12" frostfree hose bib with anti-siphon.
The anti-siphon feature is a cap on top of the hose bib.
The bib is made by Homewerks and is from Home Depot.

Their is a brass threaded cap which is part of the anti-siphon.
When I unscrew it, there appears to be some type of plastic washer or gasket underneath. Does this unscrew?

It does unscrew as I had to take mine apart to fix a plastic burr that made it leak.

But... That is not where the check-valve is located.

At the back of the valve there is a check valve that is part of the seat.

I would not worry about it as long as its a 12 inch one and not one of the short 8? inch ones you will be fine since the insides are heated by the house.

If you are still worried you could go buy one of those small foam faucet covers that goes on the outside.

PS: Don't you love yesterdays snow