Introduction

Frost-proof, anti-siphon sill cock faucets prevent winter water-line freeze-ups and stop unsanitary water from contaminating the water system. Here's how to install one in your house.

Overview: How to install a frost-proof outdoor faucet

In recent years, outdoor water faucets (sill cocks) and a water spigot have undergone two great improvements:

• First, a frost-proof sill cock (Figure A, below) puts the faucet’s flow valve well within the heated walls of your home. That means if a sudden freeze occurs or you forget to shut down and drain the water spigot water line for the winter, your chances of having a pipe burst drop dramatically.
• Second, an anti-siphon device (vacuum breaker in a water spigot), now required by all building codes, is built into some new sill cocks (or can be added on to existing ones; step 11). It prevents unsanitary water from being pulled back through a garden hose and contaminating your water system.

We’ll show you how to install freeze-proof sill cocks on an outdoor water faucet, anti-siphon valves and shutoff valves that will safeguard your home. The work will include connecting new fittings or soldering (also called “sweating”) copper joints. This is a great plumbing project to DIY.

Note: Our home has a galvanized piping system. The parts and installation techniques shown in the step-by-step photos are the same for copper plumbing. If you have a CPVC plastic system, however, the parts will look similar to those shown in Figure B (below).

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