No-Frost hose bib

[fred1949]

I have a Woodford no-frost hose bib with the anti-siphon & it is noisy so I went to take it apart.

After loosening the large nut by the faucet handle I could not pull the stem out because of what looked like a hard piece of packing. Which looked like it was the only thing stopping the stem from coming out.
Could you please help me out as to how to get the stem out?

Thank you,
Fred

[LazyPup]

Hi Fred...

Fundamentally a frostproof sillcock is a "Hydrant" type valve, which means it has the moving portion of the valve at the head but it has a long shaft and stem with the actual valving mechanism at a remote distance.

In the case of a Residential sillcock we use a hydrant so that you have the control function on the outside of the house but the actual valve and seat remain inside the heated portion of the structure.

This same theory is used in "Fire Hydrants" where the hose connections and control assembly are at street level but the valve is at the base of the riser well below the frost line to insure the valve won't freeze shut or the water line to the valve will not freeze and rupture.

There is another type of hydrant valve that is commonly used for gardens, landscaping or barns where they keep livestock. The control head is on the top of a long vertical riser but the valve is placed 3' to 5' underground to insure it won't freeze.

Attempting to take a frostproof sillcock apart can be a risky business. As you can see from the illustration I prepared, the basic function of a frostproof sillcock is quite simple. Directly under the control handle you will see a Packing Nut, under the packing nut is a fiberous packing material to prevent water from leaking past the stem shaft. In most cases in order to remove the packing it must be pried out and it goes without saying that the packing will be damaged in the process, so you would need to plan on replacing the packing.

On some valves the packing can be pressed out by turning the faucett handle counterclockwise in the same manner as turning the water on. The stem should unscrew right out of the faucett body, however many hydrant valves have a complex O-ring & spring guide assembly at the base of the Hydrant shaft Some of those are pressed in at the factory and are not field servicable.

For those that are servicable you need to know the exact Make and Model of the valve to find the correct repair parts.

The Plumbing Codes require that in regions that are subject to freezing all outside hose bibbs must be provided frost protection. In those areas where they only get the occassional freeze a typical 8" to 12" frostproof silcock should prove adequate but in areas such as here in N.E. Ohio and W.Pa where we get sub-zero temps for prolonged periods the valve must be further inside the heated portion of the structure. They make FrostProof silcocks up to 30" long for use in this area, but due to the extreme cost of such faucetts (Typically $35+) I prefer to use the code option and install a Line Stop & Waste valve on the hose bibb supply line at least three feet inside the structure, then install a conventional hose bibb outside. In this configuraation in winter you can turn the Stop & Waste valve off and leave the outside hose bibb open during the winter. Thie insures there will be no water present in the last 3' of line. The other advantage is that you can use an inexpensive Stop & Waste valve (Typically about $5 and a regular outside hose bibb which is also about $5, or you can use an outside hose bibb with a vacuum breaker which is still only about $10. In this manner even if the outside faucett should be damaged it is a simple and relatively inexpensive repair.

When installing a frostproof silcock we first install a Drop Ear 90 elbow that is to be secured to the framing. The permits unscrewing the sillcock without damaging the pipes in the wall.