How to replace a garden spigot
July 12, 2014 3:58 PM Subscribe
Our house has a broken garden hose spigot that is missing the handle. I assume (correct me if I'm wrong) it would be easiest to get a new spigot and install that. Is that something I can do or do I need any special tools, aside from an adjustable wrench and plumber's tape?
I was planning to switch off the water at the main, screw off the old one and screw on the new one. Have you done this? Is that all I need to do? Are there different types of spigot and which one do I get? Or is there a standard size? Picture here.
I was planning to switch off the water at the main, screw off the old one and screw on the new one. Have you done this? Is that all I need to do? Are there different types of spigot and which one do I get? Or is there a standard size? Picture here.
That style just screws in. Make sure you put a pipe wrench on the T-fitting it screws into so you don't loosen up anything else. Pipe dope works better than tape in this application. Hose bibs come in a variety of thread sizes (1/2 3/4 1") so the best thing to do is take the old one with you to the home improvement borg.
posted by Mitheral at 4:40 PM on July 12, 2014
posted by Mitheral at 4:40 PM on July 12, 2014
The easiest thing to do is to replace the handle, even if you have to buy a new hose bibb to get one.
posted by the Real Dan at 5:03 PM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by the Real Dan at 5:03 PM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: hortense, that really looks like it could work...will try that before screwing around!
posted by The Toad at 7:08 PM on July 12, 2014
posted by The Toad at 7:08 PM on July 12, 2014
I make it a policy to replace all the gate valves (the traditional hose bib style valve) with a ball valve and lever as soon as they break.
They seal better, don't restrict the flow when open, dont corrode, are less likely to damage during a freeze and only cost a little more.
posted by bartonlong at 10:02 PM on July 12, 2014
They seal better, don't restrict the flow when open, dont corrode, are less likely to damage during a freeze and only cost a little more.
posted by bartonlong at 10:02 PM on July 12, 2014
Just to warn you, different spigots can fit different handles. In my laundry room, one spigot is missing a handle, and the couple replacements I tried didn't fit. Since the laundry room has two identical spigots (hot and cold), for the extremely rare time I need to turn off the water, I just move the handle back and forth between the spigots.
posted by ShooBoo at 11:11 PM on July 12, 2014
posted by ShooBoo at 11:11 PM on July 12, 2014
You'll want plumber's tape, aka teflon tape, if you're replacing the fixture. You wrap the tape to cover the threads before you screw on the fixture. It's not an adhesive tape; you apply it with a little tension, then wrap it on itself-- it helps with watertightness of a screwed fixture. It's not rocket science to apply the stuff, but if you've never seen it before, search youtube for "teflon tape" and there are guides for it.
Like the hose bib handle linked above, Teflon/PTFE tape will never blow out the budget. How does $1.27 sound for a roll that'll last you for a dozen jobs?
posted by Sunburnt at 11:52 PM on July 12, 2014
Like the hose bib handle linked above, Teflon/PTFE tape will never blow out the budget. How does $1.27 sound for a roll that'll last you for a dozen jobs?
posted by Sunburnt at 11:52 PM on July 12, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by phearlez at 4:26 PM on July 12, 2014