Leaking hose bib anyone?

[DrEntropy]

Had the faucet at the front of the hovel develop a drip, it got worse over a couple days. The building is CB, copper plumbing in the slab. The faucet was original to the house, 1980. Thought it should be a simple task to shut off the main supply, disassemble the spigot, replace the washer and packing. We had witnessed neighbors struggle with this issue in the past, some went so far as to have to bust out big pieces of block to repair.

Day 1:Bloody valve would NOT come apart, only got to replace the stem packing on the first go.

Day 2: Got two new faucets, one to replace the original male pipe thread, which had been soldered onto ½" copper. Another with a ½" compression fitting just in case. Plan was to cut the old one off (SawzAll!) as near to the outer end of the copper stub as possible, torch the remaining brass off and sweat the new one on. Not to be that simple. The main shut off valve leaked and allowed a constant drip, could not get the remaining brass hot enough with propane to remove it. Dremel and cut-off wheel, slice the brass into smaller bits with cuts parallel to the pipe and being careful not to get into the copper. It came off in pieces using propane and ChannelLock pliers, although slowly. Put the compression fitting spigot on and called time out. Three hours of fussing for what should have been a half-hour task. But wait!! There's more! A fine misting/hissing from the back gland nut appeared about an hour later.

Day 3: Got another compression fitting faucet the next day, just in case I'd over-torqued the first one and split the Chinese brass of the body. Got out the Epoxo88, POTTED the replacement fitting in the stuff. Hey, they built UH1's with it, why not? Finally now leak free.

Three days of fettling, it reminded me of working to fix "minor" issues on fifty/sixty year old British cars!

 

[Gliderman8]

That’s a lot of time, effort and work doc
I expect to be following in your footsteps soon. I have an outdoor freeze free spigot that has a small drip. Will attempt to tighten it but expect to replace. Since I have PVC it “should” just be a matter of cutting off the leaking one and gluing on the union and new valve.... should be.

 

[DrEntropy]

Those six little words: "All you have to do is..."

 

[bobhustead]

The "shark bite" fittings work pretty well. Just get a square and reasonably clean end and push it on.
Bob

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Sorry to hear, Doc. I operate what some would refer to as a small golf coarse here. There is always a leak/broken pipe to fix. Add in animals and children and it is the perfect storm. There is 1/2” copper pipe buried in the barn isle that some rocket scientist put in for the barn drinkers and it runs through the Adobe walls as well! I have too many stories to tell.
I hear that the push on units like suggested above are the dogs b4lls. Might give them a try next time.

 

[Boink]

I had to re-pack one just a couple of months ago... but couldn't otherwise take it apart.

 

[GregW]

copper plumbing in the slab. The faucet was original to the house, 1980.

I can't believe they were still doing that. The house I grew up in had the same thing. Built around '65. One day the floor in front of the washing machine was hot. We figured the line to the kitchen sink had ruptured. The options were tear up the tile and jack hammer about 18' of floor or go high. Since we had a flat roof and no attic, that ment removing drywall and notching every rafter to the outside wall then down below the counter. I wound up doing option 2. I was 17 at the time.

 

[DrEntropy]

The options were tear up the tile and jack hammer about 18' of floor or go high.

GAH! My plan is to eventually go all overhead through the attic. Have the laundry room and the bathroom shower done, vanity and toilet yet to do. Will have kitchen in hand easily when the time comes, as the bath and kitchen have a wall in common, luckily. The supply will have to be rerouted at the point where it goes into the slab but I'll wait to do that last. Real PITA.

The "shark bite" fittings work pretty well. Just get a square and reasonably clean end and push it on.
Bob

Familiar with 'em, used some at my brother's house back when they first came available. Thought the stresses on this faucet would be too much on that style coupling.

 

[Madflyer]

I put in a new water heater in a condo the box store said these slip-on new lines are the cats meow. I had a plumber in at the same time doing some copped pipe work in the walls. I asked him what do you think. He did not know lets try try it I will fix it if there is a problem. Six years latter not a drip. It's a rental on the second floor. More safe than sorry. MF

 

[DrEntropy]

I put in a new water heater in a condo the box store said these slip-on new lines are the cats meow. I had a plumber in at the same time doing some copped pipe work in the walls. I asked him what do you think. He did not know lets try try it I will fix it if there is a problem. Six years latter not a drip. It's a rental on the second floor. More safe than sorry. MF

Again I will state: The static nature of a replaced length of copper pipe or a STATIC fitting of any description with the SharkBite coupling is not the same as a fitting with loads from a hose bib. Lateral stresses, tension, pressure, vibration. Not willing to take the chance. The solid compression fitting coupled with the epoxy will withstand all those with historical, recorded precedence. This solution is certainly "more safe than sorry" for the circumstance and environment. I've been on missions in UH-1's and HH-53's, shot at, auto-rotated, "shaken not stirred". Never saw a glued bulkhead joint fractured. I'm willing to risk a thirty PSI water leak against personal empirical evidence. If it fails, I'll admit defeat.

 

[vette]

Three days of fettling, it reminded me of working to fix "minor" issues on fifty/sixty year old British cars!

Hey Doc, my friend over in Sarasota had some similar leaks in the copper pipes. They believed some of the leaks were in the concrete floor. His solution ... SOLD THE HOUSE.
Bought a new house in a new sub-division about a mile away.

 

[anarchy99]

You're not going to get Doc out of Tampa... we gave them Tom Brady, now they have great weather and a great team

 

[DrEntropy]

You're not going to get Doc out of Tampa... we gave them Tom Brady, now they have great weather and a great team

Ye know me well, sir!

 

[bobhustead]

I also question the effect of twisting on the joint, but(!) shark bite offers two flanged hose bibs that screw to the wall thru which they are mounted.
Bob