Outdoor Faucet Leaking From Stem

If a faucet leaks around the handle you either have a loose packing nut or a bad packing washer.

Outdoor faucet leaking from stem.

If your faucet still leaks the stem may be leaking and you should replace the faucet. The packing which looks like string keeps water from leaking out around the stem. If your faucet leaks out of the spout when it s turned off the washer is bad. When a spigot leaks the cause is usually a worn washer on the end of the valve stem or worn packing around the handle.

Examing the washer and or o rings at the end of the faucet stem and replace them. Reassemble the faucet turn on the water and test to make sure it no longer leaks. Repairing a dripping outdoor spigot is often at the bottom of a homeowner s to do list since the leak is outside the house. It s important that replacement washers be of the same size as the original.

Repairing a leaky outdoor faucet is a chore that can be done in less than an hour with a few common tools. But left unchecked it doesn t take long for even a small leak from a hose bibb to waste hundreds of gallons of water. The stem of your faucet should never be leaking especially not while the water is off. These faucets have no aerators and are found mostly in laundry.

Another common problem on outside spigots is leaking around the valve stem when the water is. If it seems that an outdoor faucet is leaking from a hole in the stem the. If your outdoor tap is a frost free design with a long valve stem the process is similar. The washer at the tip of the stem is usually secured by a brass screw.

A new rubber washer under the packing nut usually fixes leaks around the stem and handle. Knowing how to fix a leaky stem faucet saves money and the process is easy. First try tightening the nut with a wrench or pliers. A leaky stem faucet usually means that the packing is worn out or needs tightening.

However be sure to open the valve stem before inserting it into the tap. On frost proof faucets the washer is located on the end of the long faucet stem. Remove the handle and nut photo 1 and pull the stem from the faucet photo 2. Step 1 tighten the packing nut situated below the faucet handle with an adjustable wrench if the stem is leaking.

The size and type of nut varies a bit with faucet styles.