Having a leaky hose spigot can cause you to waste gallons of water on a regular basis and end up with a huge water bill. It can also cause water damage to the surrounding area due to the constant presence of moisture. Of course, if you’re planning to sell your property, it can put off potential buyers and make them less likely to purchase your home.
Fortunately, fixing a leaking hose spigot isn’t that difficult. You can start by taking the following steps:
Tightening The Nut
Before doing anything else, check the packing nut (which is located behind the handle of the faucet) and tighten it. The packing nut can become loose over the years and cause a leak, and simply tightening it can solve the problem. Use a wrench or a pair of pliers to tighten the nut.
Adding More Packing
If taking this step isn’t effective, you might need to add more packing to the area. To do this, shut off the water valve to cut off the water supply to the faucet. Next, remove the faucet handle, take off the packing nut, and wrap Teflon tape or graphite tape around the area. Put the packing nut and the handle back on, and turn the water supply on to see if the leak is still there or not.
Replace The Washer
If tightening the nut and adding more packing doesn’t stop the leak, you’ll probably need to replace the washer in the hose bib (i.e. the heavy-duty fitting that contains the spigot and where the faucet is attached). This washer creates a seal that prevents water from leaking so, when it becomes old and/or damaged, the seal gets broken and the hose bib develops a leak.
You’ll need to buy the right washer from the hardware store (make sure it’s the right size and type). Once you have it, you can take these steps:
1. Shut off the water supply valve.
2. Use a screwdriver to remove the faucet handle.
3. Use an adjustable wrench to remove the packing nut.
4. Take out the valve stem.
5. Remove the old rubber washer. You might need to use a screwdriver to do so if the washer is worn and has stuck to the surface. Be careful when using the screwdriver to avoid damaging the hose bib.
6. Once the old washer is out, clean out the groove that it had sat on. More likely than not, you’ll find that the surface is covered with dirt, mineral deposits, corrosion, and other substances. It’s important to remove this build-up to ensure the new washer can be properly installed.
7. Insert the new washer.
8. Reinstall the washer screw to hold the new washer in place. Tighten it using a screwdriver.
9. Reinsert the valve stem then reattach the packing nut and handle. Make sure they’re tightly screwed back on.
10. Turn on the water supply valve and check if the leak is still there.
Take these steps now to stop your hose bib and spigot from leaking!