Also known as hose bibs, spigots, and valves, sillcocks are external water supplies that you can attach a hose to or use to access water outside. Even if the power is off, there will still be water in the pipes. For any self-respecting prepper, that means a vital step towards survival.
What type of valve is on a sillcock?
Majority of sillcocks have a multi-turn round handle and operate in a manner similar to a globe valve. Others have a 1/4-turn handle and utilize a ball valve type design.
What is a sillcock and how does it work?
In simple terms, they are really a glorified outdoor water valve that brings you the same potable water you would get from your kitchen and bathrooms. A sillcock brings you a nice convenience factor when it comes to gardening, keeping your outdoor plants watered or spraying down walkways and outdoor furniture.
What is a sillcock faucet?
A sillcock is a fancy name for a male-threaded outdoor faucet. An unthreaded faucet that isn’t able to attach to anything, like a garden hose, is just a plain or simple faucet. So, the key differences between a sillcock and any other type of faucet are these:
How do you fix a leaking gate valve on a sillcock?
Remove the brass stem screw at the end of the stem, and replace the washer. Reassemble the sillcock. Gate valve has a movable brass wedge, or “gate,” that screws up and down to control water flow. Gate valves may develop leaks around the handle.
What is a sillcock valve?
In simple terms, they are really a glorified outdoor water valve that brings you the same potable water you would get from your kitchen and bathrooms. A sillcock brings you a nice convenience factor when it comes to gardening, keeping your outdoor plants watered or spraying down walkways and outdoor furniture.
What is the best material for a sillcock?
The best and most durable sillcock will be most commonly made from corrosion-resistant brass. The brightness might fade over time, but this is a reliable material for the job.
How to protect sillcocks from freezing?
To protect from frost, disconnect any garden hoses, close indoor shutoff valves if available, and open sillcocks to drain any trapped water. You can also invest in frost free sillcocks.
Why is a strong handle important?
A strong handle is important since it’s exposed to the elements and can sometimes be bumped with tools and other outside equipment. You want a good handle that is easy to turn, yet offers some resistance to help you better control the flow of water through the valve.
Do you need a hose extender for a sillcock?
Finally, if you need a hose spigot extender for your sillcock, these are available as well. Usually these are for free-standing valves not coming through your house’s wall, but they do help if you need to raise things up or make your connections easier to reach.
Why do you use a sillcock key?
You can still use it because the hydrostatic pressure will force every drop of water out. When anyone’s talking about sillcock keys, it’s hard to know exactly what they’re talking about because there are so many different kinds.
Why do you need a sillcock key to unlock water?
Water may also be very inaccessible and hard to find, so all you need is a sillcock key to unlock that water! To add on, even when the pipes are blocked for the entire city, you can still force every drop out of it (thousands of gallons) because of hydrostatic pressure.
How many keys are in a sillcock key?
Sillcock keys can have anything from 1 all the way to 11 separate keys in a sillcock key. Commercial and industrial buildings have different sillcock valves, which can only be unlocked by certain sillcock keys. There are four widespread types of faucets and valves, so you really only need a lightweight four-way sillcock key to unlock ...
Why is it called a hose bibb?
Your hose bibb, or outside spigot, is the faucet located on the exterior of your house. Do you know where you connect a garden hose? Yup, that's your hose bibb. In winter, homeowners in colder climates need to turn off the water to their hose bibbs to prevent damage and flooding when the weather drops below freezing.
How do you measure Sillcock?
Measure the length of the unit from the back of the wall plate to the end of the sillcock and that will get you your length. You may have to remove the defective unit to measure. If this is the case, please remember to turn shut off the water supply to the hose bib.
What is the function of a bib seat?
Bibb Seat Extractor. The Danco bibb seat tool is used to install faucet compression seats. It is constructed of steel to provide strength and durability. The universal design will fit most compression seats.
What does no kink hose bibb mean?
Perfect for both residential and commercial settings, the exclusive No-Kink Hose Bibb from Everbilt is designed for milder climates. Easily rotate the handle to open and close the heavy-duty valve made of strong and durable brass.
How does a hose bib work?
How Does a Frost Proof Hose Bib Work? A hose bib is an outdoor faucet usually used to bring water your garden and other areas in your lawn. During the winter, water inside the bib tend to freeze over and cause the pipes to crack or burst. To avoid damage to your piper, you need to install a frost proof hose bib.
How do you install a Sillcock?
Purge the plumbing system by opening the hot water side of the lowest faucet in the home. Cut Into the Cold-Water Line. connect two open ends. Position the Shut-off Valve and Solder. Check for Leaks. insert copper pipe and solder. prev. fill exposed hole with silicone caulk. inserting the sillcock.
What type of valve is a hose bib?
Also called a sillcock or spigot, a hose bib is a valve with a threaded faucet spout. Conventional hose bibs usually are globe valves, while frost-free, or freezeproof, versions work more like traditional compression-style faucets with rubber washers that press down against a valve seat.
What is a sillcock faucet?
Also known as hose bibs, spigots, and valves, sillcocks are external water supplies that you can attach a hose to or use to access water outside. Even if the power is off, there will still be water in the pipes.
Why do you need a sillcock key?
Why You Need A Sillcock Key In Your Bug-Out Bag. Although not specifically designed for survival situations, a sillcock key is a handy item to have in your bug-out bag. Widely used by plumbers, contractors, and engineers, it’s a simple device used to open tamper-resistant sillcocks and hose bibs. You’ll find these outdoor water faucets on almost ...
What can a sillcock key open?
In addition to opening water faucets, some multipurpose sillcock keys can also be used to access electrical control cabinets, gas supplies, radiators, and equipment panels. Those featuring a triangular wrench and a variety of square fittings can also open train doors and windows, and even windows in hotels and museums.
What is the rule of thumb with a sillcock key?
The rule of thumb with a sillcock key is “the more, the merrier.”. If you opt for an entry-level, budget water meter key like this one from Danco, you’ll be limiting your options unnecessarily. This single key has the benefits of being both small and lightweight, but it will only open one type of sillcock.
What does it mean when a valve has no handle?
The absence of a handle means you need a key to operate the valve. Not all sillcocks are the same so, even the most basic sillcock key generally has four different attachments, each of which is a slightly different size or shape.
Can a sillcock key give you water?
Not only can a sillcock key give you access to water in an emergency, but it could also give you the means with which to obtain valuable materials, like wire, for instance, and enter secret passageways that could serve as convenient escape routes in a disaster situation.
Can you turn a sillcock valve with your fingers?
If you’re lucky, the sillcock valve will be loose enough that you can turn it with your fingers. You may even manage to turn a more stubborn valve with a good survival multi-tool or pair of pliers, but many sillcock valves and locking mechanisms are tamper-resistant so, will thwart such attempts.
How To Repair a Sillcock
A sillcock is a compression faucet attached to the outside of the house. Repair a leaky sillcock by replacing the stem washer and the O-ring.
Sillcock Repair Tip
Remove sillcock handle, and loosen retaining nut with channel-type pliers. Remove stem. Replace O-ring found on retaining nut or stem.
Common Types of Valves
Gate valve has a movable brass wedge, or “gate,” that screws up and down to control water flow. Gate valves may develop leaks around the handle. Repair leaks by replacing the packing washer or packing string found underneath the packing nut.
What is a silcock bib?
A Silcock is a hose bib, if you want to be casual about it. Most home improvement sites don’t distinguish between the two since the terms are so commonly used interchangeably. When we discuss them in this article, we’re using a very strict definition that involves the nuances of the design.
How much does it cost to install a silcock?
The most you can expect is $325. A full, brand new installation of a freeze-proof silcock will cost a lot more—often in the ballpark of $200 to $500. Since Silcocks are slightly more expensive than other faucet types, you might have to pay a premium price for parts.
Is a hose bib the same as a silcock?
Silcocks and hose bibs are almost the exact same thing, to the point that the terms are generally interchangeable. These refer to water faucets that are at the exterior of the house. A hose bib has the valve to the water exposed to the outdoors close to the water source. Silcocks have a longer body with the valve at the end of a long rod.
Is a silcock a big deal?
Silcocks are not the norm, period. At first glance, this sounds like it is not a big deal, but it is. Certain hose fittings might not work with your spigot, people might make remarks about it, and you might have a hard time finding parts for repairs and replacements. This makes fixing everything a hassle.
Do silcocks have anti freezing?
Silcocks that have anti-freezing technology are basically a requirement in areas where the weather remains cold for most of the year. So while people in Florida might never see one of these long-necked spigots, people in areas of Maine, Michigan, and Canada absolutely might see them on the regular.
Do silcocks freeze water?
This makes it harder for the water to freeze inside the pipes, and also means you get continued access. To ensure that you get running water, silcocks are also coated with a treatment that prevents freezing in many cases. If you live in North Dakota, then you probably will want to get a silcock upgrade for your home.
