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Started By
Message
Hose bib leaking out of knob/handle when on
Posted on 8/11/25 at 9:49 am
Posted on 8/11/25 at 9:49 am
Getting more into gardening and the lawn with a lot of the house interior stuff shaping up. Our front hose bib leaks from the handle when it’s on. It’s noticeable enough that the ground below that faucet is incredibly soft. When I was installing our newly painted shutters my step ladder sunk 3-4” into the ground which is what alerted me to deal with this.
We do have a horizontal foundation crack just below this that we were not able to get repairs on during negotiations. A structural engineer came out and provided a stamped letter that it wasn’t currently a concern. It’s less than 1/16” wide with less than 1/2” of deflection over 7’.
Knowing that that’s there, I obviously don’t want to stress the wall anymore and I’m sure too much water could do that given the proximity. Since I’ll be watering the lawn regularly going forward I’d like to get this dealt with.
Here is the faucet/knob. I’m hoping I can just replace the handle on it and that should be relatively cheap and easy.
We do have a horizontal foundation crack just below this that we were not able to get repairs on during negotiations. A structural engineer came out and provided a stamped letter that it wasn’t currently a concern. It’s less than 1/16” wide with less than 1/2” of deflection over 7’.
Knowing that that’s there, I obviously don’t want to stress the wall anymore and I’m sure too much water could do that given the proximity. Since I’ll be watering the lawn regularly going forward I’d like to get this dealt with.
Here is the faucet/knob. I’m hoping I can just replace the handle on it and that should be relatively cheap and easy.
13
Posted on 8/11/25 at 9:53 am to jlovel7
Call a plumber and replace the bib
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:01 am to jlovel7
Have you tried tightening the packing nut?
This post was edited on 8/11/25 at 10:10 am
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:03 am to sledgehammer
I’ve done nothing yet.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:04 am to wickowick
quote:
Call a plumber and replace the bib
Would like to learn how to do this myself and also save $500 from having a plumber show up just to tighten/loosen a few things.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:06 am to jlovel7
I don’t know exactly where it’s coming out without a video, and that’s an older style bibb. I’ve had luck tightening the nut on mine, and it solved the leakage.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:10 am to jlovel7
Is this anywhere near the basement that had the moisture problem?
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:32 am to jlovel7
Turn water off, unscrew that nut that's holding the stem and replace the packing. It's like a thick compressable string. There is likely some in there that is worn out and smashed. Fairly easy to fix. Here's what it looks like. I'm sure you can a video.
LINK
LINK
This post was edited on 8/11/25 at 10:33 am
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:54 am to sledgehammer
quote:
don’t know exactly where it’s coming out without a video, and that’s an older style bibb. I’ve had luck tightening the nut on mine, and it solved the leakage.
It’s coming out where the body, nut, and knob all meet. The circular opening. Only when it’s opened.
This post was edited on 8/11/25 at 12:22 pm
Posted on 8/11/25 at 10:56 am to 9rocket
quote:
Is this anywhere near the basement that had the moisture problem?
It’s on the same side of the house length wise but opposite in width if that makes sense.
So any water would still have to travel a good ways. The area inside the house and underneath where this is looks very dry. There is a hose bib on the opposite side near where the water issue is/was that I’ve posted about but that valve doesn’t seem to leak at all. And I can access it from the interior of the house and it seems all dry in that area.
This post was edited on 8/11/25 at 10:57 am
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:09 pm to jlovel7
Change the packing or the bib, if you change the bib might have to chisel some brick away
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:11 pm to jlovel7
First try tightening the bonnet. If that doesn’t work an O-ring replacement may be needed.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:15 pm to jlovel7
95% of the time all you need to do is as others have said and tighten that nut that the handle goes through.
Don't over tighten. Just tight enough for the water to stop.
If that doesn't work, turn off the water and replace the washer that's in housing.
Don't over tighten. Just tight enough for the water to stop.
If that doesn't work, turn off the water and replace the washer that's in housing.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:20 pm to bbvdd
quote:
95% of the time all you need to do is as others have said and tighten that nut that the handle goes through. Don't over tighten. Just tight enough for the water to stop. If that doesn't work, turn off the water and replace the washer that's in housing.
I tightened the nut just a bit and it seems to have stopped thankfully.
I imagine it came loose with use. However I have everything disconnected now as I await a 1’ leader line to be delivered to give me more space for my timers and splitters. So I ran the faucet with nothing on it which allowed for free flow which may hide the issue if there’s back pressure or something.
I’ll get everything hooked back up this afternoon and confirm the drips have stopped. But I love the easy fixes over whole replacements if that ends up being the case
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:23 pm to jlovel7
Good deal. Glad it worked out for you.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:36 pm to jlovel7
But I love the easy fixes over whole replacements
--
That works on most faucets. I have rentals and see it on washing machine hookups as well as under sinks on those small shutoff valves.
Good job!
--
That works on most faucets. I have rentals and see it on washing machine hookups as well as under sinks on those small shutoff valves.
Good job!
Posted on 8/11/25 at 12:51 pm to ItzMe1972
Just hooked something back up to it as a test because I couldn’t sit still. It did start leaking again but this time had a weird air spitting sound when I cut the water off. I tried tightening it a little more but now the timer I have connected is seemingly leaking.
Will wait for the leader hose and try and isolate if it’s part of the new equipment causing a new leak or still the same one and the fix just didn’t work.
If the latter I found the kit to replace everything in the hose bib and will try that.
ETA: leader hose came in. Hooked it up and the bib itself remained dry and the leak seems to be gone from that area. However the $13 timer I bought from Lowe’s seems to be the culprit now. That or the project source 4 way splitter. Those are less concerning to me at least for now as I can more easily direct that away from the house for now until I upgrade to better equipment. I have a splash block under them sending them away for now.
I’ll try and get back out there later and see if some teflon tape will help.
Will wait for the leader hose and try and isolate if it’s part of the new equipment causing a new leak or still the same one and the fix just didn’t work.
If the latter I found the kit to replace everything in the hose bib and will try that.
ETA: leader hose came in. Hooked it up and the bib itself remained dry and the leak seems to be gone from that area. However the $13 timer I bought from Lowe’s seems to be the culprit now. That or the project source 4 way splitter. Those are less concerning to me at least for now as I can more easily direct that away from the house for now until I upgrade to better equipment. I have a splash block under them sending them away for now.
I’ll try and get back out there later and see if some teflon tape will help.
This post was edited on 8/11/25 at 2:39 pm
Posted on 8/11/25 at 1:10 pm to jlovel7
Go ahead and replace, they run about $50 with tax for a good one with a 1/4-turn handle. They are not difficult to replace, most common is 6" length in brick facia. I replace a few every year, I teflon tape and pipe dope the threads as you only want to tighten just enough so you don't screw up the female threaded fitting in the wall.
Posted on 8/11/25 at 1:37 pm to jlovel7
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