frost proof water faucet

kathleen kanzlert · Apr 21, 2014

I have a leaking frost free water faucet. Not the kind that goes thru the side of a building but goes in the ground. My question is, Can I remove the top and repair it or do I have to dig it up and replace the whole thing?

paul · Apr 21, 2014

Those are often called a frost free hydrant.

Some brands are much easier to get parts for and successfully repair than others. The good ones are built to take art the top and pull out and repair most of the time....

Paul

rrlund · Apr 21, 2014

I've had those drip and all they needed was adjusting from the top. Lift the handle just a little. There should be a set screw in the part that goes over the top of the rod. Loosen that set screw,lift the handle just a little more then tighten the set screw back down. Push the handle down and see if the leak has stopped. It should push back down a lot harder than it did before the adjustment.

MarkB_MI · Apr 21, 2014

I know of a well driller who replaces yard hydrants without digging them up. He leaves the water turned on and unscrews the hydrant with a pipe wrench. Of course water comes boiling out of the hole when the hydrant is removed, but that keeps the hole from caving in. The new hydrant is inserted in the hole and screwed in. Personally, I don't know that I would try it myself.

If you have a name brand hydrant like Woodford, it's worthwhile to try to repair it. If you have a Chinese knockoff such as those sold at TSC, you probably won't be able to get replacement parts.

onefarmer · Apr 21, 2014

I'm with rrlund. They are adjustable. It's basically a rubber stopper jammed down over the seat. The rubber has just worn or deformed just enough for it to not hold the pressure anymore. Adjust it like rrlund described, to seat it down again. An easy, cost free, thing to try anyway.

P I Pete · Apr 21, 2014

I worked for a plumber, well man a couple years,had a hydrant that wouldn't shut off. Rubber stopper was broken in two, I soldered a small lag bolt into a piece of rigid copper tube shoved it down the riser pipe and screwed lag into broken plug and pulled it out.

Wheat Farmer · Apr 21, 2014

I have several different ones. Most of mine are a brass at the bottom, but are adjustable. If it is dripping. you need to push the rod down. So if it is one with a nut, move the nut up a few turns. Not to far, so that it will drain back down. Some of my others are a small cam. If need post a photo.

60 acre hillside · Apr 21, 2014

I am getting ready to replace the top cast part on an IOWA. I am postponing the job until I could dig it up if the project did not go right. I have parts from other s I have replaced. IOWA is the leading brand here

VicS · Apr 21, 2014

Just replaced a 40 yr. old one. After we got a 180 dollar water bill. It was literally ate up. The brass at the bottom was the only thing not. Got the new one in for a total of 90 dollars for everything. I used 3 ft of heavy duty washer hose to hook it up. That way if someone hit's it, maybe it won't leak and I can straighten it back up. Also I drove a steel post and hose clamped the faucet to it. The guys are right if the rubber is ok you can tighten it. I didn't want to take any chance on another high water bill. Vic

Anonymous-0 · Apr 21, 2014

Replace it with a baker hydrant, and you'll have a quality replacement part, that is serviceable from the top.

Russ from MN · Apr 21, 2014

Our local L&M Supply has parts for them. I bought a cheap Chinese pos from Menards but I got parts for it at L&M! On ours the packing sleeve on top broke off, probably from not oiling the upper parts, now I oil all the hinges.

Royse · Apr 21, 2014

What color was it originally?
Our well man told us if it was blue, it's not adjustable.
Others are, just as RRLund described.
If you adjust it too tight, you won't be able to close the handle.
If that's the case, just back it off a little until you can.
Too much force can damage the seal even more.

Pair-a-dice farm · Apr 21, 2014

rrlund has the right advise. I adjusted one of mine over the weekend and it's blue. I don't know what brand.

frost proof water faucet

kathleen kanzlert

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paul

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rrlund

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MarkB_MI

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onefarmer

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P I Pete

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Wheat Farmer

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60 acre hillside

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VicS

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Anonymous-0

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Russ from MN

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Royse

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Pair-a-dice farm

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