Need to get more water out of my hose bibs..

kooshball · 07-04-2010, 12:08 AM

I have noticed a big difference between my front hose bib and my back regarding flow rate. The only thing that I can see is different is that the front hose bib is fed by a 1/2" line about 3' long before it taps into the 3/4" where the rear has about 10' of 1/2" line then taping into the 3/4" main. I would like to replace these hose bibs with ones that have a 3/4" feed and increase the 1/2" lines to 3/4" as well.

Questions:
-I live in central NC, do I need the freeze-proof hose bibs according to code?
-is a ball valve a good choice for max flow or will the water trapped in the valve when closed freeze and burst the fitting?
-is there such a thing as a "high-flow" hose bib?

Thanks

zootjeff · 07-04-2010, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kooshball

I have noticed a big difference between my front hose bib and my back regarding flow rate. The only thing that I can see is different is that the front hose bib is fed by a 1/2" line about 3' long before it taps into the 3/4" where the rear has about 10' of 1/2" line then taping into the 3/4" main. I would like to replace these hose bibs with ones that have a 3/4" feed and increase the 1/2" lines to 3/4" as well.

Questions:
-I live in central NC, do I need the freeze-proof hose bibs according to code?
-is a ball valve a good choice for max flow or will the water trapped in the valve when closed freeze and burst the fitting?
-is there such a thing as a "high-flow" hose bib?

Thanks

I put a main cutoff in my garage for all the outdoor faucets. I also installed a backflow preventer in the garage.. Don't know if this is code or not, but that way I can turn off all the hose bibs and sprinklers every winter. I just put in basic hose bibs, not the frost free ones or anything. I guess the risk is that you forget to turn off the outdoor water one year..

Thurman · 07-04-2010, 09:36 AM

I think the first thing I would do is go buy an inexpensive pressure test gauge, available at most big box or hardware stores, to test water pressure. Then test the static (no water flow) at both hose bib's. Then test the dynamic pressure at the front hose bib with the rear hose bib wide open. Then test the rear hose bib with the front bib wide open to see if your piping is really creating a decrease in volume. Having a main cut-off for all outside faucets is a very good idea--only IF you can remember to shut it down in cold weather. ALL homes built in our area which are connected to City Water are required to have Back-Flow Prevention Devices (BPD) as of 1984 either on the faucets or at the meter. Now the City has changed that so a BPD is required at the meter for the entire home as of Jan.01, 2011. THESE will require annual testing also as commercial units here do. I cannot see this being done. David