Spigot froze - how to fix?
 

A decade ago my lovely lady friend left her watering hose connected going uphill. Cold snap and spigot froze and burst. It’s a frost free so the valve is way in the wall.

The valve works but if you open it water goes into the wall and eventually down to crawlspace 4’ below..

Original to house built in 1967, is fed by threaded steel pipe, I think 1”.

I tried to gently twist it free but it’s on there and just flexes. I need a wrench on the backside to undo the frost free. Maybe heat too.

There’s no access from below and the backside of the spigot is dead center of wall of washroom that is covered with a big glued in mirror, so serious hassle.

Access from outside- dig through shingles and 2 layers of cedar siding and plywood.

I’m wondering what are my options for a solid fix without too much disassembly?

I’ve not even seen what is broken. Could be downstream side of valve area, could be split pipe. It’s a big hole though that moves a lot of water.

Wondering if there’s a modern miracle for this or will I be digging a big patch though house wall this summer.

Find a place where you can access the pipe that supplies this spigot. Cut and cap that line. Install a new spigot somewhere else.

This or get a new lady friend.

Hey - he did say "lovely lady friend".
Before he abandons her - we need pics!

A proper assessment is certainly reasonable.

Any chance to buy a new spigot, use it's parts to hook up to the old that still works?

Also, any way a set of internal pipe wrenches could help?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-Professional-Grade-Internal-Pipe-Wrench-Set-4-Piece-139-4/301371197?irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-2003851-1420157-bing&clickid=zfSQAp2b6xyKR%3A4zQazQd09yUkHSDk2AExj rw80

Tell her to call a plumber.

Any pictures from the outside? I don’t quite understand having to go through shingles, etc. to get to it.

Just imagine a shingled exterior wall with a nice little faucet on the outside. The faucet is frost free through so the valve is way in there inside the wall. The reason for all the layers is the house was given new exteriors at least twice before.

Luckily the current valve keeps the water shut off, but there's a failure downstream of the valve. I've not seen where it is.

WOW!!!!!!!

Thats new to me, I love that.

The problem though is that the spigot assembly threads into steel pipe way inside the wall. I need to be able to hold that interior pipe steady while I unscrew the spigot.

The real danger of starting this process is that I break something inside and can no longer turn on the water to the house. I guess at that point I grab the skilsaw and go to town.

Definitely a project to start in the early daylight so I can repair whatever damage I do and turn house water back on before bedtime.

I have a telescoping basin wrench, was thinking to buy another so force is applied in same area. Im just not sure how much force I'll need to get the thing undid.


Call a plumber: yeah right!

She's had more than 10 years to consider her mistake and I think she'd be happy to have that spigot back.

Ah. When you said shingles, I was thinking asphalt shingles on our roof

If (a huge IF) whoever installed the frost free correctly, it should unscrew from the pipe that feeds it. Alas, that's not always the case. If not, you'll need a way to reach both the pipe the frost free is assembled to and the tube of the frost free.

BUT...replacement may not be needed...watch this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvoVpD1FcyE&ab_channel=HouseBarons

Another one, better detailed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9NQFo4-OeU&ab_channel=EverydayHomeRepairs

(edit) If the above works for you...just smile and reap the rewards..:)

Oh I so wish…

It’s not that. The unit is a brass frost free spigot from 1967. I pulled it apart when it happened and the seals are all pretty great. The way it froze: that lady had sprinklers hooked up uphill from the spigot so hose and spigot were full of water, and then we had a week in the low teens. She turned the sprinklers off in the fall but didn’t disconnect from the spigot…

Meanwhile I’m hassling my tenants and wrapping their spigots with insulation and those foam domes to protect from the freeze. I wasn’t worried about my house because we has really deep frost free…

When it’s opened a bit of water comes out but i can hear a rush of water in the wall. It’s the pipe between valve and bib that is cracked.

It should unscrew but I’ve dealt with other threaded steel pipes in the house and they’re a real bear to get loose.

I guess I’m going to learn how to install shingles.

Maybe help pay for a plumber . . .

Plumbers are much easier because they first want the tile wall torn out. Then they come in for ten minutes and charge silly money while they walk away from the mess.

Whatever you do, I'd suggest planning for future access should there be a next time..