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Identify the Problem and Plan the Replacement — Prevent Frozen Pipes: Keep Water Dripping

Beginner3 hours

Part of project

Frozen Pipes: Prevention & Thawing Guide for Winter · Step 1 of 4

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In this video

The expert identifies a dripping outdoor faucet, also known as a sillcock. He explains that the internal washer is likely worn, and the design is problematic for cold climates as the valve seat is outside, leaving water in the pipe vulnerable to freezing. He shows a modern frost-proof sillcock as a solution, which has a long stem that places the valve inside the warm part of the house, preventing freezing issues.

Goal: Understand the cause of the leak and the benefits of a frost-proof sillcock.

  • A standard sillcock's valve is located right at the handle, exposing it to outdoor temperatures.
  • A frost-proof sillcock's valve is located at the end of a long stem, inside the heated space of the building, which prevents water from freezing in the pipe.

Used in this video

  • Standard Sillcock (Tool Type: Plumbing Tools) — The existing faucet being replaced.
  • Frost-Proof Sillcock (Tool Type: Plumbing Tools) — The new replacement faucet that prevents freezing.
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FAQs

What are the most important safety precautions to take when thawing frozen pipes?

Always turn off your main water supply before attempting to thaw pipes to prevent flooding if the pipe bursts. Open the nearest faucet to relieve pressure and use gentle, indirect heat sources like a hairdryer on low, a space heater, or warm wet towels. Never use an open flame or high heat, as this can damage pipes or cause a fire.

Can I use old blankets or towels instead of specialized pipe insulation or heat tape for prevention?

While old blankets or towels can offer temporary, limited protection, they are not as effective as dedicated pipe insulation or electric heat tape (like the Frost King HC6A). Specialized insulation provides better thermal resistance and is designed to withstand moisture and pests, offering superior long-term prevention.

What should I do if I can't locate the frozen section of the pipe, or if a pipe bursts during thawing?

If you can't find the freeze, focus your efforts on pipes running along exterior walls, in unheated basements, or crawl spaces. If a pipe bursts while thawing, immediately shut off your main water supply to prevent extensive water damage and call a licensed plumber for urgent repair.

How long does it typically take to thaw a frozen pipe, and is this project truly beginner-friendly?

Thawing a frozen pipe can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the severity and location of the freeze. This project is considered beginner-friendly as long as you prioritize safety, apply heat gradually, and follow the steps carefully. More complex or persistent issues may warrant calling a professional.

Transcript
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Now, out here at your outside garden faucet, also called a silcock, you can see that even with its shut off, it's dripping. Now inside this faucet, there's a stem unit, let me just pull it apart, and has a washer right here. Now, oftentimes this washer can wear out and you get this kind of condition. Now the other thing about this type of faucet is the washer sits outside the building and that leaves water in a place that it could freeze and cold climates. Let's take a peek inside. All right, so here's our cold water main coming in right here, and you can see the branch that goes out to the outside faucet and that sits right outside the building right here. I'm glad to see a shut off valve right here. And I close that every winter and try to drain it as much as possible from the outside. Good. Now that'll reduce the chance of a freeze out here, but it won't guarantee it, because this type of valve is not really what I like to see. I'd prefer to have one that has this little valve on the side called a waste. Now, when you shut this off, you can open this and that'll allow air in. And once I allow air in, every bit of the water in this pipe will then want to drain to outside and there's no chance of a freeze. But we're not going to rely on this anymore. Today I want to do this. I want to change your outside faucet that looks like this. You can remember the washer sits right out here where it can be frozen to a frost proof silcock. One thing you'll notice about it is it's long. The reason for that is that the stem unit is long. Here it is right here, and you can see that the washer sits at the end of this long shank and the shank sits all the way in here, you can see I did a little cut away to show you where the washer is. So the water sits right here, the washer goes up against it. This is so far back into the house that there's no chance they can freeze. So you don't really have to shut that valve off every year anymore. Now it starts with us cutting out that pipe. All right, Eugene, I want you to take this cutter, put it around the pipe, snap it together,

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