Hose Bib Burst

[65Stang]

So, this hose bib had the hose left attached over the winter and it split within the exterior wall space. Fortunately, it only leaks when the hose bib is turned on. I removed the outer wall and found this (see pictures). What are my options for fixing this? I cannot easily access the interior piping as there is a wall perpendicular to the outer wall right where the hose bib is, so I would have to tear apart quite a bit of interior wall to get to it. Am I sorta screwed and just have to go all out and remove drywall to get complete access to the interior piping or is there a way to fix it from the side shown in the pictures?

Thanks

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[jrsulo]

Whats with the bib below it ?????

 

[65Stang]

Whats with the bib below it ?????

An old one abandoned by the previous Owner. I don't know why he did it, but he was an idiot based upon other home modifications he attempted. I have thought of plugging the top one and tapping into the piping under the house and reusing the lower one. This may be an option if fixing the top one is too difficult (i.e. tearing apart the inside).

 

[Conn'swhiterose]

If you have adequate access to the line inside the house you could install a frost free hose bib, that way you could make the connection inside and eliminate the failed tubing completely and have future frost protection...if you do remember to disconnect the hose in the winter though.....if the bib can't drain...same thing gonna happen!

 

[Conn'swhiterose]

If you have adequate access to the line inside the house you could install a frost free hose bib, that way you could make the connection inside and eliminate the failed tubing completely and have future frost protection...if you do remember to disconnect the hose in the winter though.....if the bib can't drain...same thing gonna happen!

Sorry guy, that should read "when" you have adequate access...
I think the best option would be to properly expose from the interior...that failure is in a really crappy spot....

 

[65Stang]

If you have adequate access to the line inside the house you could install a frost free hose bib, that way you could make the connection inside and eliminate the failed tubing completely and have future frost protection...if you do remember to disconnect the hose in the winter though.....if the bib can't drain...same thing gonna happen!

I have no access to the line inside the house and it would be difficult even if I started removing drywall. I have no idea how it is installed in the interior walls, so I wouldn't know where to start tearing things apart.

 

[larry4406]

I will go out on a limb. I will assume that the hose bib has a male pipe thread on its end vs directly soldered. If true, kill the water to the bib, put your wrench on the hose bib, turn counter clockwise and back it out. Assuming it comes out, you can polish the split barrel, tap it back into place to remove the fishmouth failure, and then solder it to repair the freeze damage. Then apply Rector Seal to the pipe thread, and reinstall.

I did mine this way.

If this does not work, drywall saw, not the end of the world.

 

[jrsulo]

Bib burst after the washer.....thats why it only leaks when turned on..as far as being threades,they give you a choice....i always solder mine vs. screwing into a female adapter....i hope this has a shut-off!!!!!!

 

[D.J.]

He always has the main shutoff at the street!

 

[jrsulo]

He always has the main shutoff at the street!

Yea.....but he still has to get the zoned off !!!!!!!

 

[jrsulo]

Meant he needs to isolate this !

 

[ishiboo]

That is a frost-proof bib already. As jrsulo said, it's busted after the valve itself which is well in the wall. You're going to have to expose where it ends up and install another frost-free bib. The pipe that is burst is not just a standard pipe, it's a different size that has a long stem in it connected to the valve.

What are we looking at? Is that wood we see the inside of the house, or did they fur out from the original wood exterior wall for some reason? If that's the interior of the house right behind the wood, it's most certainly a perpendicular interior wall right where the bib is. You'll need to cut out a small spot of that wall to access this.

 

[ishiboo]

I will go out on a limb. I will assume that the hose bib has a male pipe thread on its end vs directly soldered. If true, kill the water to the bib, put your wrench on the hose bib, turn counter clockwise and back it out. Assuming it comes out, you can polish the split barrel, tap it back into place to remove the fishmouth failure, and then solder it to repair the freeze damage. Then apply Rector Seal to the pipe thread, and reinstall.

I did mine this way.

If this does not work, drywall saw, not the end of the world.

It's possible this may work, but I'd be prepared to cut a hole. Even if it is a threaded end and comes off cleanly, the chances of it moving so you can no longer align the new one is fairly good.

 

[65Stang]

It's possible this may work, but I'd be prepared to cut a hole. Even if it is a threaded end and comes off cleanly, the chances of it moving so you can no longer align the new one is fairly good.

Yeah, I'm a little torn right now about trying to fix it and making it even worse, as in a leak or open pipe in a VERY inaccessible location. Don't have a lot of time to spend either... well, I am going to try and see if it's threaded.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

This is a cheaper no freeze faucet with no vacuum breaker on it. It is probably screwed into a 1/2 female iron pipe thread fitting further into the wall, and it may be a matter of shutting off the water, draining the lines, and unscrewing the faucet that is there and screwing another one it its place. Just use lots of pipe dope.

Charles

 

[koditten]

If it is that big of a pain and you are not willing to repair it, close the valve, remove the handle and install insulation and siding. Delete the whole thing and leave it for the new owners. I think you did say it doesn't leak when it is off. You don't have many options. fix it properly, of course means messing up the inside of the house or delete it.

This would drive me nuts knowing it was hiding behind the siding, so I would have to repair it no matter how much work was involved.

This is my opinion, only you can decide what to do.

Later

Kirk

 

[65Stang]

Well, tried to turn/unscrew it and it started twisting the pipe right where the split/burst is at. Thought about trying to solder the burst shut, then noticed there is a split on the other side as well. Said screw it, and kept twisting and it broke loose inside the wall, so it is a threaded connection. Tomorrow morning, I'll shut off the water to the house, drain the pressure off, and unscrew it, see what length it is, get a replacement, and hope that I can thread the replacement back in, otherwise I will be cutting some walls, which would be a nightmare. This is an old house, the most of the walls also have cedar shiplap siding, even the interior wall as most of the interior walls use to be exterior walls at some point. Always fun working on a house that has been built four times over a century. My living room used to be the front porch.

 

[Bear]

Sounds like you have got it. I just did one this spring myself. Charles is right use plenty of dope and have plenty of patience I had a hell of a time getting the threads to start (too much insulation in the way). Once they did it was a pice of cake.

 

[65Stang]

Sounds like you have got it. I just did one this spring myself. Charles is right use plenty of dope and have plenty of patience I had a hell of a time getting the threads to start (too much insulation in the way). Once they did it was a pice of cake.

By dope, you guys mean...? I am unfamiliar with copper piping, but have experience with black iron (air) and have Great White pipe joint compound in the shop, is this the stuff to use?

Thanks!

 

[6768rogues]

That is a frost-proof bib already. As jrsulo said, it's busted after the valve itself which is well in the wall. You're going to have to expose where it ends up and install another frost-free bib. The pipe that is burst is not just a standard pipe, it's a different size that has a long stem in it connected to the valve.

What are we looking at? Is that wood we see the inside of the house, or did they fur out from the original wood exterior wall for some reason? If that's the interior of the house right behind the wood, it's most certainly a perpendicular interior wall right where the bib is. You'll need to cut out a small spot of that wall to access this.

ishiboo is correct. That is already a frost proof faucet. The reason it broke is because a hose was attached and it did not drain. The actual shut off is upstream of the break and the entire unit must be removed and replaced, or abandoned in place and never turned on again. It might be threaded in and it might be soldered; without exposing the inside connection you will not know. You can try turning it, but if it is soldered you might break it upstream of the shut off washer and it will leak all the time until it is fixed. If you feel lucky, give it a good twist. How lucky do you feel today?

 

[65Stang]

ishiboo is correct. That is already a frost proof faucet. The reason it broke is because a hose was attached and it did not drain. The actual shut off is upstream of the break and the entire unit must be removed and replaced, or abandoned in place and never turned on again. It might be threaded in and it might be soldered; without exposing the inside connection you will not know. You can try turning it, but if it is soldered you might break it upstream of the shut off washer and it will leak all the time until it is fixed. If you feel lucky, give it a good twist. How lucky do you feel today?

Well, I felt lucky and gave it a good twist and it broke loose (theaded) after some love, so it is threaded. Yes, it did have the hose attached throughout one winter, a suckass on my part, joys of working out of state (it's the little things that bite ya in the a#$). I'm going to try and replace it tomorrow moring and see what happens. I am hoping that that I am able to thread the new portion, but it appears to be pretty far back... I despise the previous owner....

 

[plumbstupid]

Sounds like you were lucky

I love it when people assume the hose bibs are threaded as opposed to soldered.

Generally you are going to have to cut a hole in the interior wall of your home to repair this. If you look closely, you may see the scars from when it was orinally installed.

These things are rarely threaded into place. I'd say 97% of them are soldered.

 

[mdbeck1]

ishiboo is correct. That is already a frost proof faucet. The reason it broke is because a hose was attached and it did not drain. The actual shut off is upstream of the break and the entire unit must be removed and replaced, or abandoned in place and never turned on again. It might be threaded in and it might be soldered; without exposing the inside connection you will not know. You can try turning it, but if it is soldered you might break it upstream of the shut off washer and it will leak all the time until it is fixed. If you feel lucky, give it a good twist. How lucky do you feel today?

I had one go out a couple of winters ago. Turned the water off to the house, drained what water I could, gave it a twist with a monkey wrench and it came right out. I took that down to the box store, bought a new one, put some pipe dope on it, and luckily got it stabbed the first time. I haven't seen a leak since. You actually have it kinda lucky. It's not freezing outside and it only leaks when you use it. I'd say send the wife to the grocery store in the morning (nobody in the house that needs water) and go for it. If things work out you'll be done in an hour. If not you have all day to get if fixed if.

The worst thing that happens is that you have to call a plumber on Monday.

 

[mdbeck1]

I had one go out a couple of winters ago. Turned the water off to the house, drained what water I could, gave it a twist with a monkey wrench and it came right out. I took that down to the box store, bought a new one, put some pipe dope on it, and luckily got it stabbed the first time. I haven't seen a leak since. You actually have it kinda lucky. It's not freezing outside and it only leaks when you use it. I'd say send the wife to the grocery store in the morning (nobody in the house that needs water) and go for it. If things work out you'll be done in an hour. If not you have all day to get if fixed if.

The worst thing that happens is that you have to call a plumber on Monday.

Please scrap the previous post. I see that you already pulled it. Good luck. Don't forget the pipe dope on the replacement part to keep it from leaking...

 

[green.bubbly]

A frost free hose bib. There is a pretty ingenious idea. Never saw such a thing.

 

[larry4406]

Sounds like you were lucky

I love it when people assume the hose bibs are threaded as opposed to soldered.

Generally you are going to have to cut a hole in the interior wall of your home to repair this. If you look closely, you may see the scars from when it was orinally installed.

These things are rarely threaded into place. I'd say 97% of them are soldered.

Every frost free hose bib I have dealt with here in Northern VA has a threaded end. Regular ones, moslty sweat fitting. Thus, not much of a stretch of the imagination to assume that his frost free hose bib was threaded in as it turned out to be.

 

[65Stang]

What kind of pipe dope should I use when replacing it? I have some that's non-hazardous. Should I use teflon tape?

 

[larry4406]

You can try the teflon tape. I have had better luck with Rector Seal.

 

[jrsulo]

Every frost free hose bib I have dealt with here in Northern VA has a threaded end. Regular ones, moslty sweat fitting. Thus, not much of a stretch of the imagination to assume that his frost free hose bib was threaded in as it turned out to be.

You can do them both,they have a thread end but also can be soldered in the thread end.....Most here are soldered.