Frost proof faucet leaking into house

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NH_Mike

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I have a frost proof faucet that started leaking outside and into the basement today.
I put a hose on it that was backed up with ice. Normally after 15 minutes or so the water flushes the ice out.
Today it didn't. When I went down into the basement there was water running down the wall from the hole where the pipe goes through the house.
If I turn the faucet off there is no leaking even though there is water going to it.
So when water is flowing through and it can't go anywhere it shoots out the back and some of it gets into the house as well as dripping down outside behind the siding.
I can see the pipe in the basement and the exit point. To reiterate there is no leakage with the cutoff valve open and the faucet handle closed. So no hole in the copper pipe.
I swapped out the long interior portion with another faucet and that did not fix it. I put the insides from the leaking faucet into another faucet and it worked fine.
Any idea what could be going on?
 

Terry

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hosebib_split.jpg


This is what happens when the hose is left on in Winter.
It splits the copper, noticable only when the faucet is in use.

frostfree_split_hc.jpg
 
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NH_Mike

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It doesn't appear to leak while the cutoff valve is open and the faucet is open allowing the water to run freely through the faucet.
Doesn't it seem like there still would be leaking?
 

NH_Mike

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OK, pulled it out and you were right Terry, split in the side way back at the very end of it. Got burned by our early spring. 72 in Feb, washed the salt of the cars, forgot to shut the valve, 0 in March.
 

SteveW

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Classic situation. Easy to forget to take off the hose when we get those warm spells while it's still officially winter.
Could happen to anyone.
 

Gary Swart

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Don't feel alone, lots of us learned this the hard way. Just be glad you have access to the inside connection.
 

Jadnashua

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There are a couple of designs that will work and (at least most of the time) not be damaged if you leave the hose on the faucet. Woodford makes two different types...one has a separate drain that opens when you shut off the water so what's left in the valve can drain, and on another one, they have a fancy valve that can open some to help relieve pressure when you leave a hose on and it freezes. But, two things most frost free silcocks can't handle is leaving the hose on, or if they're not installed properly with some slope so that they can drain once you shut off the water. Unlike a conventional valve, the actual valve portion is way back at the end of the valve, so if it can drain, the water is far enough in the house so it stays warm enough to not freeze (one reason why they come in varying lengths to put the working end inside the heat of the building depending on the wall thickness and insulation).
 
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