Freeze-free valves, faucets are winter options

Q. I have a small weekend cabin in the mountains which I use year-round. Instead of draining the sillcocks during winter, I want to install freeze-free ones. What type are best and how do I install them?

Janice K.

A. Sillcocks, outdoor faucets through a wall, can create a problem in freezing cold weather. The valve for the faucet is actually outside the insulated house walls and the pipes are filled with water up to the valve.

When the outdoor temperature falls below freezing, the metal faucet and pipe temperature can also easily get below the freezing point of water. When water freezes it expands. Depending upon how it freezes, the expanding ice can split the pipe open or damage the faucet. Often, it won't start to leak water until it gets warmer and the ice thaws.

You have two options to eliminate the possibility of freezing the sillcocks. Installing a freeze-free sillcock is effective and it does not require you to do anything at the beginning of winter. If you do need some water quickly outdoors on a warmer winter day, you just turn on the faucet as usual.

The other option is to install an indoor valve and drain cap by each sillcock. At the beginning of winter, you must turn off the valve, remove the drain plug, and drain the water from the faucet side. This method is very effective, but it does not allow you to use the outdoor faucet quickly.

All of the freeze-free sillcocks are made in a similar manner. There is a long pipe onto which the faucet is attached. The faucet handle is attached to a long rod inside the pipe. The actual valve is on the end of the long rod, so there is no standing water in the uninsulated outdoor portion of the pipe when no water is flowing.

The lengths of freeze-free sillcocks typically ranges from about eight to 14 inches, with 10 or 12 inches being more common. The proper length to select depends upon the thickness of the wall and the indoor clearance behind it. Since you are installing the sillcock in a cabin which is used only on weekends, select an inexpensive one. You will likely not use it enough to wear it out.

All freeze-free sillcocks have a male threaded end. Copper threaded female adapters are available to fit the sillcock. The adapter is soldered on to the one-half-inch copper plumbing pipe and the sillcock end is screwed into it. This makes replacing the sillcock a simple task, but getting the threads to seal can be a bit tricky. Use teflon tape or plumber's dope on the threads.

The inside diameter of the sillcock pipe is made of copper and sized to fit perfectly over the outside of standard copper plumbing. The sillcock can be soldered directly to the plumbing. This installation is actually the best and most professional plumbers use it. A good solder joint is very strong and will not leak.

Here are a few installation tips which may help. If you solder the sillcock directly to the plumbing, first remove the internal rubber seals so the heat does not damage them. Make sure there is no water dripping from the pipe. This cools it and you will never get the solder to melt. Use flux on the pipe ends.

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