Learn about Outdoor Water Faucet

Almost every home comes equipped with a faucet located and attached to the exterior. These faucets provide access to tap water for exterior watering needs, including washing automobiles, home exterior siding, or watering your lawn and garden. Quite often, you may hear outdoor water faucets called by another name, such as hydrant, water outlet, hose bib, hose faucet, spigot, or sillcock. While these names may seem different on the surface, they all mean the same thing. Water from the outlet is often delivered through the use of a hose, which connects outlet opening.

Local residential building codes drive the type of outdoor water faucet that is allowed for use. While there are many options available on the market today, not all are created equal. At a base level, it's essential to select a frost-proof faucet if you live in a climate where frost is common during the winter months. Frost-proof faucets extend the life of the water fixture and protect both the valve and your home from potential water damage caused by cold temperatures.

While outdoor faucets that are prone to water leaks are becoming less common as products improve, it can still be a reality. If you opt for a traditional style faucet, ensure that the faucet includes rubber washers, which help to seal the connection between the faucet and the connecting hose. New innovative hydrant style faucets are on the market now, which improve on hassle-free hose connection and eliminate the potential for water leaks. Review the faucet specifications for psi and water temperature limits, if you require both warm and cold water, to ensure the faucet meets your requirements.

The most common diameter garden hoses are 5/8-inch size. Most faucets are also compatible with 3/8-inch, 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, 5/8-inch size hoses unless you purchase a system that requires a proprietary hose.

Replacing an outdoor water faucet ranges between $100 and $300, with an average of $175. Installation will vary depending on the hourly plumbing rates in your area.

The average household in the United States experiences 10,000 gallons of water waste due to leaks each year, according to the EPA. This amounts to over 1 trillion gallons of water wasted across 11 million homes. Addressing water leaks inside and outside of your home can not only benefit the environment but save you money year after year.

Mixer taps, faucets that mix both hot and cold water from two valves before flowing from the faucet, were invented in New Brunswick, Canada, by Thomas Cambell. The first patent was filed in 1880.