Fixing a Leaking Hose Bib or Outdoor Spigot
A leaking outside faucet, also called a hose bib or spigot, usually drips for one of three reasons: a loose packing nut at the handle, a worn washer at the spout, or a crack in the pipe behind the wall.
Where the water shows up tells you which one it is, and that decides whether you need a wrench or a plumber.
Where the water appears tells you the cause
Turn the hose bib off, dry it with a rag, then turn it on and watch. Match the leak to a row.
| Where it leaks | Likely cause | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| Around the handle stem when the faucet is on | Loose or worn packing nut or washer | Tighten the nut a quarter turn, or replace the packing |
| From the spout when the faucet is closed | Worn washer or seat | Replace the washer, or the faucet if the seat is pitted |
| From a vent hole at the top when the hose is running | Anti-siphon vacuum breaker, on faucets that have one | Replace the breaker or the faucet |
| At the wall, where the faucet meets the house | Loose threads or a crack in the pipe | Replace the bib, and check the pipe behind it |
| Inside the wall or the crawlspace, only when the faucet is open | Pipe split by a past freeze | Call a plumber to open and repair the line |
The last row surprises people. A freeze can split the pipe behind the faucet without any sign until you open the valve the following spring.
Stopping a drip at the handle
This is the most common outdoor faucet repair, and it takes little equipment.
- Shut off the waterClose the interior shutoff to that line if you have one. If not, close the main water valve, then open the outdoor faucet to drain the pipe.
- Remove the hoseDisconnect any hose, splitter or sprayer first. A hose left on traps water and strains the faucet.
- Try the packing nutFind the nut just behind the handle. Snug it by a quarter turn with a wrench and do not overtighten.
- Replace the packing if it still leaksUnscrew the handle, remove the nut, and swap the old packing or washer for a matching new one.
- Turn the water back on slowlyOpen the shutoff, then the faucet, and watch the stem. If the leak is gone, you are done.
Not sure where the water is coming from?
Call the number on this page. We answer 24/7 and can send a licensed plumber to trace the leak.
A drip from the spout means the seat or washer is gone
If water seeps out of the spout with the handle closed, the washer is no longer sealing against the seat. Replacing the washer fixes it if the seat is smooth. A pitted seat keeps leaking, so the whole faucet is the better replacement.
Home inspectors' guidelines list hose bibs as lasting roughly 20 to 30 years. If yours is near that age and the stem is corroded, a new faucet takes less time than repeated patching. Faucet repair often ends this way, since old brass and seals wear together.
When a leaking spigot cannot wait
A drip into a flower bed is a nuisance. Water inside the house is not.
Act right away if you see this
- Water spraying behind the wall Shut off the main water valve and keep power away from wet areas, such as outlets near the faucet.
- A wet interior wall, ceiling or crawlspace The pipe behind the faucet may have split. Do not wait for it to dry on its own.
- The faucet will not shut off Close the main valve and call the 24/7 line. We can arrange same-day service when available.
- A spreading wet patch in the yard This can mean a buried line, not the faucet. Call 811 before anyone digs.
Keeping an outside faucet from failing again
Most hose bib failures trace back to hoses left on and cold nights. A few habits prevent both.
- Unhook hoses before cold weather A connected hose holds water against the faucet and can freeze it solid.
- Add an insulated faucet cover Foam covers are inexpensive and work well for faucets with no frost protection.
- Open the faucet slightly after shutting the interior valve This lets the last water drain out of the pipe before a freeze.
- Look at the faucet each spring Turn it on and check inside the wall or crawlspace for drips.
- Do not leave the sprayer clipped on Pressure builds against a closed nozzle and loosens the faucet stem over time.
Wasco note: cold nights are rare, not unheard of
Wasco has no National Weather Service climate page of its own, so we use Bakersfield, the nearest NWS climate station. Its January normals show an average low of 40.5 F, and its records range from a year with no freezing days to one year with 70. We have no verified freeze count for Wasco itself.
That means a cover and an unhooked hose are sensible but not dramatic precautions. The same station shows July afternoons averaging a high of 98.3 F, so a hose left filled and shut off in the sun can build pressure against the faucet. We dispatch to Shafter and McFarland as well, so the same questions work for outdoor faucets there.
What a plumber does that a quick fix cannot
A plumber can replace the hose bib, cut into the line to find a split, and test the repair under pressure. If you keep noticing a rising water bill with no visible drip, leak detection finds hidden losses in the yard line or behind a wall. A burst or cracked supply pipe is a different job, and burst pipe repair covers it.
California requires a contractor license for work worth one thousand dollars or more in labor and materials, so check any plumber at cslb.ca.gov. A quick faucet swap is small, but opening a wall is not. You get a clear price before work starts.
Outdoor faucet questions
That pattern usually points to the packing nut or stem seal, which only bears pressure when the valve is open. If the water appears inside the house or crawlspace, the pipe behind the faucet may be cracked.
Dry the area and watch where the water begins.
Threaded replacements are possible for a careful homeowner, but soldered copper connections need torch work and a good seal. A leak behind a finished wall is best left to a plumber.
Always shut off the water first and drain the pipe.
Bakersfield, the nearest NWS climate station, shows a January average low of 40.5 F and occasional freezing nights in the record. Wasco has no verified freeze count of its own.
An insulated cover and an unhooked hose cost little and remove most of the risk.
Not for a faucet on the house wall. Call 811 before any digging, such as when a leak seems to come from a buried line in the yard.
SoCalGas serves Wasco, and a call to 811 helps keep buried lines safe from a shovel.
A drip is not. A faucet that will not close, or water coming through a wall or ceiling, is.
Shut off the main water valve and call the 24/7 line if the leak is spreading.
Stop the leak, then keep it stopped
Call the number on this page for a clear price before work starts. Same-day appointments are offered when available.