Question on anti-siphon outdoor faucet

[captain_dunsel]

Hi everyone

I have Mansfield anti-siphon outdoor faucets here in Wisconsin. It’s been one cold winter.

We never turn off water to the outside. We have never had issue with frozen pipes in past winters and none this winter either. At least no broken pipes and no water in the house which is a good thing.

The difference this year from the other years is I cannot get water to flow out of the faucet. It is 30 degrees today and I wanted to use some water to do a little cleaning (hey 30 compare to -20 is a heat wave).

Question – What would cause water not to flow? Are there outdoor parts of the faucet that could be frozen? If yes that sounds like I could have an outdoor broken pipe?

Sorry if this is a naive question but I am confused.


thanks

 

[Redwood]

Sounds like it has either ceased to work or, is frozen. Shine a hair dryer on it!

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Gary Swart]

By any chance did you leave a hose connected to the bib over the winter? If you did, the tube that goes through the wall to connect with the supply line did not drain and it is almost certainly broken and will leak with it thaws.

 

[Redwood]

Actually if it is a frost-proof hose bibb and a hose was left connected freezing it... The faucet would leak whenever it is turned on as the tube between where it shuts off and the outside would be split.

 

[captain_dunsel]

Thanks for the replies.

I will try a hair dryer tomorrow on the outside. I assume you meant outside and not on the pipes inside the house?

Maybe it’s just frozen on the outside since it was covered with frozen snow?

If it turns out it is broken and leaks is it going to leak from the faucet to the outside or wpild a pipe leak in the house?

If it leaks how easy or hard is it to fix?

Thanks again

 

[Jadnashua]

If it is split, it could leak anywhere. It depends on whether you have easy access to replace it. Some screw in, some are soldered in.

 

[Bill Arden]

I've heard of the rubber washer at the back sticking.

Another problem occurs if the faucet is not slanted to let the water drain out.

I'm in Minnesota and I used my outdoor faucet just a few weeks ago.
I disconnected the hose and it drained back just fine.

I have a 1 foot long copper style unit with a small CPVC union at the end so that if I had to I could pull the entire thing out easily.

The biggest problem I've had is the vacuum part at the top leaking.

 

[Redwood]

Yea, if that happens you have to loosen the packing nut to open it further to unstick it.

 

[captain_dunsel]

Thanks everyone

All is ok I think. I took a hair dryer to the faucet and its working fine now.

I dug out the other faucet (the one where I did not leave a hose attached) and it worked without needing the dryer.

So looks like I got a little lucky.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[Gary Swart]

Luck trumps skill every time! But, did you check inside where the faucet connects to the supply line? If not, do so because these things will split back inside the house and might still work but water could be leaking inside.

 

[captain_dunsel]

i checked inside the basement where it connects to the water. Dry and no leaks. No water around the basement wall either.

Would there be anything else to check?

thanks

 

[Redwood]

Put a garden hose on it with the nozzle in the off position. Turn on the valve then recheck for leakage inside and out.

Upon completion turn it off and disconnect the hose!

No leakage... You have dodged the bullet! If it leaks you need a new one!