Help me cap an outdoor faucet
June 1, 2017 2:33 PM Subscribe
Can I cap the water line in the left-hand picture of this?
Trying to detach a hose, I wrenched off the entire faucet. The line has no internal valve, so I’ve turned off all water to our house.
Can this be capped in the state it’s in? If so, what’s involved in capping it (or installing a faucet)? Can a non-plumber do it?
Technical bonus question
You can see from the pics how the faucet assembly slides onto the outbound water line. But what keeps it in place? It’s under heavy water pressure.
Trying to detach a hose, I wrenched off the entire faucet. The line has no internal valve, so I’ve turned off all water to our house.
Can this be capped in the state it’s in? If so, what’s involved in capping it (or installing a faucet)? Can a non-plumber do it?
Technical bonus question
You can see from the pics how the faucet assembly slides onto the outbound water line. But what keeps it in place? It’s under heavy water pressure.
That looks like 1/2" copper pipe, which would've been soldered / "sweated" together. You say that you can see how the hose bibb (the faucet assembly) slides on, but I don't think the one you have slides on anymore; the part of the pipe that slides in must still be soldered into the back of the valve assembly.
Attaching a new valve will mean soldering it on. The pipe might not stick out far enough from the wall to do that, so you'll probably end up having to heat up a joint on the inside of the wall, remove the pipe stub that goes through the wall, solder a new short length of pipe to a new hose bibb, stick the pipe back through the wall and solder it into the old joint there.
Since you have to ask, I can't responsibly tell you to do anything other than hire a plumber or handyman. It's not a super-difficult job, but learning the skills involved and getting it right in this circumstance will take long enough that you probably won't think it's worth it.
posted by jon1270 at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2017
Attaching a new valve will mean soldering it on. The pipe might not stick out far enough from the wall to do that, so you'll probably end up having to heat up a joint on the inside of the wall, remove the pipe stub that goes through the wall, solder a new short length of pipe to a new hose bibb, stick the pipe back through the wall and solder it into the old joint there.
Since you have to ask, I can't responsibly tell you to do anything other than hire a plumber or handyman. It's not a super-difficult job, but learning the skills involved and getting it right in this circumstance will take long enough that you probably won't think it's worth it.
posted by jon1270 at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2017
You might be able to fit a Sharkbite end cap on there. If the diameter fits but it isn't deep enough, you could cut the pipe inside and put it there.
I wouldn't leave it as a permanent solution, but it'll get your water back on if it works.
Proper capping involves threading the outside, then screwing a cap on (with pipe dope).
It looks like galvanized pipe and isn't supposed to be soldered. It looks like the pipe rusted out where the threads start, so it used to be threaded onto the pipe?
posted by flimflam at 3:23 PM on June 1, 2017
I wouldn't leave it as a permanent solution, but it'll get your water back on if it works.
Proper capping involves threading the outside, then screwing a cap on (with pipe dope).
It looks like galvanized pipe and isn't supposed to be soldered. It looks like the pipe rusted out where the threads start, so it used to be threaded onto the pipe?
posted by flimflam at 3:23 PM on June 1, 2017
As flimflam says, a Sharkbite end cap would be a quick and easy way to handle it but only if there is enough exposed pipe to fit the cap on. And if there is any movement in the pipe, someone may need to support it from inside so you can apply the appropriate pressure to secure it.
Also be prepared for the cap to not come back off, because you need additional clearance to fit the removal tool against the fitting, in which case you'd need to cut off the pipe inside the house to replace it, which it sounds like you need to do anyway. And while you're at it, you can add a line shutoff.
posted by The Deej at 4:29 PM on June 1, 2017
Also be prepared for the cap to not come back off, because you need additional clearance to fit the removal tool against the fitting, in which case you'd need to cut off the pipe inside the house to replace it, which it sounds like you need to do anyway. And while you're at it, you can add a line shutoff.
posted by The Deej at 4:29 PM on June 1, 2017
This site is a pretty good explanation of how to sweat copper pipe. You could cut the copper pipe inside the house (ideally, far from flammable things) and just solder on a 1/2" copper pipe cap. This will at least get your water back on. You'll still need a plumber to finish the job.
On the other hand, a plumber will be able to replace the hose bibb (ask him if you need one of these)(you should have an antisiphon valve) and maybe add a shutoff valve for next time.
posted by H21 at 4:31 PM on June 1, 2017
On the other hand, a plumber will be able to replace the hose bibb (ask him if you need one of these)(you should have an antisiphon valve) and maybe add a shutoff valve for next time.
posted by H21 at 4:31 PM on June 1, 2017
Well, get your blow torch, and melt the solder on the outside of that copper pipe, use a plumbers sand cloth, to get all the previous solder off. Then you can get a sleeve that just goes over that piece and sweat solder that on, if you want another faucet. If you just want to cap it you can do that by just capping and sweat soldering the cap on, once you have cleared the pipe down to shiny copper on the outside. If it is too short, put on a sleeve of an inch or so, and then solder on another piece of pipe the same as the inside, and cap that. I think it can be capped as is. Sweat soldering is simple. With only prior experience of soldering stained glass windows, I cut off a 1 1/4 inch pipe on each end of a large pump on my furnace, took the pump for repair, and then put it back together. I marked all the wires carefully so they would be right. Then turned the heat back on, after charging the system with water. If it leaks at the first check, wipe it dry and solder some more.
posted by Oyéah at 6:03 PM on June 1, 2017
posted by Oyéah at 6:03 PM on June 1, 2017
What is on the other side of the wall. If there is not enough room on the outside you could cut it on the inside and stick a shark bite on it.
posted by jmsta at 12:54 PM on June 2, 2017
posted by jmsta at 12:54 PM on June 2, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks all! I tried w shark bite but unsuccessful. Ended up calling in a plumber, who was concerned the spigot was too short, but was able to solder on a new bibb. Paid him $310, including the bibb.
posted by LonnieK at 3:53 PM on June 6, 2017
posted by LonnieK at 3:53 PM on June 6, 2017
« Older How do organizations support emotional laborers? | Running stamina--is this a problem? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by humboldt32 at 3:01 PM on June 1, 2017 [2 favorites]