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Discussion Starter · #1 ·


Faucet with the green hose attachment won't stop leaking water.



I tried tightening the philips screw head.



It has a shut off valve but the valve shuts off the water to all the faucets outside.

How should I go about fixing this?
 

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Turn off water.

Relieve Pressure.

Unthread bonnet nut (just below the handle)

Unscrew the handle assembly and pull it out.

Check the washer at the bottom, probably ripped, cracked or just plain worn out.

Remove stainless screw holding washer to the handle assembly.

Remove bibb washer.

Take it to the store, match it with the proper size ($.35)

Return home, and reverse steps

Save 4 bucks.
 

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The pressure regulator and shutoff ball valve look pretty old. Maybe check your water pressure at the leaking hose bib. If more than 60 lbs, try adjusting the pressure regulator. If it can't be adjusted, maybe consider replacing all three items.

HRG
 

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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Thanks for all the help guys. Giving you guys an update now.

I bought the replacement hose bibb and thread tape. I turned off the red valve that you see in the first picture and took off the old hose bibb and replaced it with the new hose bibb. I 'think' it solved the leak. It stopped the majority of the leaking water, if not all.

One thing I noticed when I took the hose bibb off, even with the red valve shut off, some water was still flowing out. Is this normal? Or does that mean my problem goes a little bit further than just the hose bibb.
 

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One thing I noticed when I took the hose bibb off, even with the red valve shut off, some water was still flowing out. Is this normal? Or does that mean my problem goes a little bit further than just the hose bibb.
Probably water in the house plumbing draining out. Turn the red valve off, open the hose bib. Then open the highest hot and cold faucets in the house to let the house plumbing drain out. The water should eventually stop leaking out of the new hose bib. If not, then the red valve (ball valve) is leaking and should be replaced.

HRG
 

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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
Probably water in the house plumbing draining out. Turn the red valve off, open the hose bib. Then open the highest hot and cold faucets in the house to let the house plumbing drain out. The water should eventually stop leaking out of the new hose bib. If not, then the red valve (ball valve) is leaking and should be replaced.

HRG
Thanks for your guidance. I now know the proper names for some of the parts :).

I just wanted to further clarify what I meant about the water still coming out. Water does not leak out with the new hose bibb attached. I was talking about water still coming out while the hose bibb was not attached. Should I still run the hot and cold faucets to test?
 

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Thanks for your guidance. I now know the proper names for some of the parts :).

I just wanted to further clarify what I meant about the water still coming out. Water does not leak out with the new hose bibb attached. I was talking about water still coming out while the hose bibb was not attached. Should I still run the hot and cold faucets to test?
Only if you want to test the main shut off valve with the red handle for shutting the water off completely. If yes, then open the new hose bib and then do the procedure in my previous post.

A main shut off valve with a drip leak is tolerable when working on threaded plumbing in the future. A pain in the butt but tolerable. It is not tolerable if you have to do any soldering of copper pipes in the future. It's impossible to solder copper pipes with water leaking out of them unless special gizmos are used to stop the water leak temporarily during the soldering process.

I really would get a water pressure gauge and check the water pressure in your home. That pressure regulator looks mighty old.

HRG
 

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Discussion Starter · #11 ·
Only if you want to test the main shut off valve with the red handle for shutting the water off completely. If yes, then open the new hose bib and then do the procedure in my previous post.

A main shut off valve with a drip leak is tolerable when working on threaded plumbing in the future. A pain in the butt but tolerable. It is not tolerable if you have to do any soldering of copper pipes in the future. It's impossible to solder copper pipes with water leaking out of them unless special gizmos are used to stop the water leak temporarily during the soldering process.

I really would get a water pressure gauge and check the water pressure in your home. That pressure regulator looks mighty old.

HRG
That pressure regulator has most likely been there since the 70s.

While I have your knowledge, does that pressure regulator affect the inside of my house? I assumed the components that I showed only affected the outdoor plumbing.

I have noticed that whenever I turn on a sink, water spits out irregularly and then resumes normally after a second or two. Could that pressure regulator be the cause?
 

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That pressure regulator has most likely been there since the 70s.

While I have your knowledge, does that pressure regulator affect the inside of my house? I assumed the components that I showed only affected the outdoor plumbing.

I have noticed that whenever I turn on a sink, water spits out irregularly and then resumes normally after a second or two. Could that pressure regulator be the cause?
If from the 70's, it probably isn't regulating. Only way to tell is to get a water pressure gauge and connect it to the hose bib.

That PR will affect every faucet that goes off, when you turn the water shutoff valve in your photos to the off position. Too high pressure causes premature leaking in faucets, greater chance for washing machine water hoses to leak, and overall more maintenance for everything in the plumbing.

Not sure if it could be the cause of your spitting problem though.

HRG
 

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Discussion Starter · #13 ·
If from the 70's, it probably isn't regulating. Only way to tell is to get a water pressure gauge and connect it to the hose bib.

That PR will affect every faucet that goes off, when you turn the water shutoff valve in your photos to the off position. Too high pressure causes premature leaking in faucets, greater chance for washing machine water hoses to leak, and overall more maintenance for everything in the plumbing.

Not sure if it could be the cause of your spitting problem though.

HRG
I'm taking your advice and buying a pressure gauge. Is there a certain kind I should buy? Or just any cheap gauge will do? Also, I know you said it already- to attach the gauge to the hose bibb, but I just wanted to confirm if I attach it to the hose bibb or to the pipe (making sure I don't buy the wrong threaded gauge).
 

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I'm taking your advice and buying a pressure gauge. Is there a certain kind I should buy? Or just any cheap gauge will do? Also, I know you said it already- to attach the gauge to the hose bibb, but I just wanted to confirm if I attach it to the hose bibb or to the pipe (making sure I don't buy the wrong threaded gauge).
Buy a pressure gauge that connects to a hose bib like any standard garden hose does. You can use it on outside hose bibs or on a laundry room faucet.

Recommend getting one that has two needle indicators. Black needle will indicate current pressure. Red needle will record highest pressure and retain that reading even if the pressure drops. Reason for the red needle is to see what the highest pressure is when your water heater heats the water and nobody uses any water. Like overnight for instance. This can tell you if you need an expansion tank for your water heater. But one with just the black, current reading is OK.

Get one that has a max reading of about 150 - 160 psi. Don't get one that has a max reading of 300 psi as the lower readings will be less accurate. High city water pressures can be around 130 psi or so and you want to set your pressure regulator for about 60 psi to your home.

Here's an example of a pressure gauge with the red needle, max pressure capability. It's the Lazy Hand, 0-160 psi model.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/testing.html

And here's one without the red needle, max pressure capability:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

The first one with a max readout of 160 psi is more desirable than the second one with a max readout of 200 psi but the second one will be fine.

HRG
 

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Discussion Starter · #16 · (Edited)
Thanks again guys.

I went ahead and called my local lowes/hd, both do not carry a two needle pressure gauge. I'd get the two needle one from that other site you linked but their shipping rate is 9$. I guess I'll just purchase the single needle that you linked from Amazon. I can get it for $7.26, free 2 day shipping.

I'll give you an update after I test pressure sometime next week.

EDIT: Scratch that, I'm just going to pay the extra $9 to do test it right.
 

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Giving you guys an update.

HRG - water pressure gauge read 90 lbs. Shall I proceed to replacing the pressure regulator and ball valve?
You could try adjusting your existing PR but considering that it's about 35+ years old, I would definitely just replace it without even trying to adjust it. I bought a Watts brand PR for our home. It looks like the one that you currently have (except mine has a union coupling on its input side) so yours might be a Watts PR. The new PR should be adjusted for 50-60 psi output.

If you replace the PR, I would also replace the ball valve since they are relatively inexpensive and I guarantee that you will feel much better after the job is done. There are two types of ball valves. One type is soldered in on both sides, the other type is threaded on both sides. I personally buy the threaded type since I don't want to overheat the ball valve during the soldering process. In the threaded type, the male fittings are soldered on to the copper pipes first and then the ball valve is screwed on. --- But in your case, you may have to install a soldered in type of ball valve due to minimal space from the ground to the horizontal pipe.

I would remove the white pressure relief valve that is installed right next to the wall. Your water heater should have a pressure relief valve on it so that one in your photo is not really needed. By removing that pressure relief valve, you can install a union coupler in its place. Then make sure that the pressure regulator you buy has a union coupling on its input side (the side connected to the ball valve). This will allow you to remove the pressure regulator and hose bib assembly in case you ever have to replace the PR in the future. Otherwise you will have to have enough clearance to the wall to spin the PR to remove it in the future.

Be sure to measure the diameter of your existing pipes before you go shopping so you can buy the correct size PR, ball valve, copper pipe, fittings, etc. Don't try to reuse your old pipes or fittings. It's just too much work with more chances of leaking. Don't forget to measure the distance from the ground to the horizontal pipe so you can buy a PR and ball valve that can fit in that limited space.

HRG
 
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