Outdoor Faucets Built for Hartville Gardens

Common Problems on Hard-Working Spigots

An outdoor faucet that runs for hours a day through the growing season puts a lot of cycles on its washer, packing and vacuum breaker. Timers, splitters and quick-connects add weight and leverage to the spout, which can loosen the faucet in the wall over time.

• Water spraying from the vacuum breaker cap when a nozzle or timer is closed
• Drips from the spout even when the handle is tight
• Leaks around the handle stem during long runs
• Faucet body loose in the wall from hanging hardware
• Weak flow that cannot keep up with a sprinkler

The Vacuum Breaker Spray Explained

Many frost-free sillcocks include a vacuum breaker on top, a small cap that prevents hose water from being pulled back into your plumbing. When a hose nozzle, timer or drip system is closed while the faucet stays on, pressure builds in the hose and the vacuum breaker can let a little water spray out. A small amount at shutoff is normal, but a steady leak means the vacuum breaker parts are worn.

We can rebuild or replace the vacuum breaker, or recommend a setup that works better with irrigation: turning the faucet off at the spigot rather than relying on the nozzle, or adding a separate backflow device designed for continuous pressure where needed.

Low Pressure at the Outdoor Faucet

If the kitchen faucet runs strong but the outdoor spigot dribbles, the problem is usually between them. Older homes may have a long, small-diameter line to the outside faucet. A partially closed or failing interior shutoff valve restricts flow. On private wells, which are common in the rural areas around Hartville, sediment can collect in the faucet seat or the vacuum breaker.

We check each of those points and correct what we find. That might mean replacing an old gate valve with a full-port ball valve, upsizing a line, or cleaning sediment out of the faucet. Our PEX service in Hartville is often the simplest way to run a new, larger line to the exterior.

Setting Up a Spigot for Irrigation

If you run drip irrigation or sprinklers from a hose bib, a few choices help it last. A quarter-turn frost-free sillcock is easier to open and close every day. A brass hose splitter with individual shutoffs lets you run two zones without taking the hose off. A simple inline screen filter keeps sediment from clogging drip emitters. And mounting the faucet firmly to the house keeps the weight of timers from loosening it.

At the end of the season, remove timers and splitters along with the hose, so the faucet can drain properly over winter.

Our Process and Service Area

We begin with a free estimate, inspecting the faucet, the line behind it and the shutoff. You approve the specifications, and we complete the work and finish with a quality inspection to confirm good flow and no leaks.

If water has leaked inside, our Hartville water leak repair team can help. For more on faucet options, see our outdoor faucet and hose bib page. We also serve Randolph, Mogadore, Lakemore, North Canton and Green, about 13 miles from our East Canton shop.