What Is An Exterior Hose Bib?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The hose bib is

the small faucet on the exterior of your house

. It’s essentially an outdoor tap that allows you to run water from the inside of your house to the outside. You use this tap to attach your garden hose for many different jobs. A hose bib is also called a: … Hose valve.

What is a hose bib?

A hose bibb is

an outdoor faucet specifically designed to accept a hose attachment

. Outdoor spigots, taps and faucets may or may not have these threads. If you’re having issues with your hose bibb, you’ll want to repair or replace it sooner rather than later.

What is the difference between a hose bib and a spigot?

Sillcock, spigot, outdoor faucet, hydrant or hose bib are all different names for the same thing. … To further protect the home a shut off valve may be installed just inside of the house where the hose bib exits the wall. This allows the hose bib to be “drained down” before the first freeze.

How does a hose bib work?

Many frost-proof hose bibs have vacuum breakers, also called anti-siphon devices. This

device stops water from being sucked from your hose back into your water system

, where unsanitary hose water can contaminate your water.

How much does it cost to replace an exterior hose bib?

Replacing a hose bib, also called a spigot or sillcock, averages $175, or

between $100 and $300

. New installation raises the price to $200 to $500 depending on the spigot’s proximity to existing plumbing.

How high should a hose bib be off the ground?


12′′-16′′

off the ground is sufficient: any higher and you’re going to end up with a lot of visible plumbing; much lower and you may not have enough for a timer, check valve, etc.

What’s the difference between a hose bib and a Sillcock?

A hose bib has the valve to the water exposed to the outdoors close to the water source. Silcocks have

a longer body with

the valve at the end of a long rod.

Should you let hose bib drip?

Disconnect your hose and keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break. … When the weather is very cold outside,

let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes

.

Why is it called hose bib?

A hose bib is the

small faucet attachment on an outer wall of

your home that facilitates your access to water in your backyard, driveway and the likes. As the name implies, this is the small tap that functions as an attachment to your garden hose, giving you easy access to water outdoors.

How do you winterize a hose bib?

  1. Locate your shut-off valve. Your hose bibb’s shut-off valve will be inside your home, possibly in the basement, crawl space, or utility room.
  2. Shut off the indoor valve(s). …
  3. Detach your hoses. …
  4. Store your hoses indoors. …
  5. Leave faucets open for the winter.

What does a hose bib vacuum breaker do?

Backflow Prevention with a Vacuum Breaker

A hose vacuum breaker (HVB) is

a simple device that screws onto the hose threads on your hose bibb

. It, in turn, has male hose threads onto which you can attach your garden hose. Use of your garden hose with an HVB is no different than without one.

How much does it cost to install an outside spigot?

The typical cost to install an outdoor spigot ranges from

$100 to $500

.

How much does it cost to install an outdoor spigot?

Item Cost Materials: hose bib or spigot, copper plumbing, and other parts needed. $50-$100 Labor Cost $120-$300 Total Cost

$170-$400
David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.