How Do I Fix My Outside Spigot That Broke off at the Siding?

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Things You'll Need

  • Frost-proof, anti-siphon sill cock

  • Hacksaw

  • Pipe wrench

  • Sandpaper

  • Copper tubing

  • Copper couplers

  • Blowtorch

  • Flux

  • Solder

A broken outdoor spigot can present an issue if you routinely use it to water your grass or garden. Not only this, but if your spigot broke off at your siding, it's likely you'll have water spewing from the wall and potentially getting inside it. You must turn off the water supply until you can have the broken device repaired. Replacing a broken spigot does not require a plumber, but you should feel comfortable working with a soldering blowtorch to ensure you can safely complete the task.

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Step 1

Locate the main water shutoff valve for your house and turn it off. Run water from any faucet until water stops coming out. However, even though you removed pressure from the water lines, expect some water to come out of the existing pipes when you cut into them.

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Step 2

Cut the copper tubing that connects the old sill cock to the copper piping in your basement with a hacksaw. Work to keep the cut square and at a 90-degree angle to the side of the pipe.

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Step 3

Pull the old sill cock out of the wall from the outside. If necessary, use a pipe wrench to rotate the faucet to loosen the sill cock in the wall.

Step 4

Sand the end of the pipe that will stay with sandpaper to remove any burrs left from cutting.

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Step 5

Select a frost-proof, anti-siphon sill cock that meets local building codes and that comes in the length needed to extend through your wall. You can get sill cocks in ¾-inch or ½-inch diameters. You can also get them in 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch lengths. Your sill cock must extend through the thickness of the wall so you can connect it on the inside. The sill cock has the spigot attached to the end of it.

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Step 6

Slide the sill cock into the wall until the plate mounted behind the spigot butts up against the outside wall. Attach the plate to the wall with the supplied screws and a screwdriver. If the holes for the old spigot do not work, you must drill new holes into the wall to seat the screws.

Step 7

Measure the length of space between the end of the new sill cock and the location where you cut the copper pipe.

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Step 8

Cut a section of copper pipe long enough to extend between the two pieces. Again, sand the ends with sandpaper to remove any burrs from the cutting process.

Step 9

Slide a copper coupler sleeve onto each end of the freshly cut pipe. Place the pipe inline with the sill cock and the original pipe. Slide the couplers half way off the new copper pipe and halfway onto the sill cock and the original pipe.

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Step 10

Apply a small amount of solder flux around each joint on both couplers. The flux helps the solder flow.

Step 11

Heat the joints on each end of the coupler with the solder blowtorch. As you heat the joint, run the solder sick slowly around the joint to seal the joint with solder.

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Step 12

Turn on the water and check for leaks in the solder joints. If you see any leaking water, turn the water back off and add more solder until you no longer get any leaking.

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