An outdoor faucet — a hose bib or frost-free sillcock — almost always leaks from one of three places, and where it leaks tells you exactly what to fix. This is a spring and summer job I get called for constantly, and most of it is a few-dollar washer you can swap yourself. Now’s the season to fix it, right after you’ve come off your winterizing and into your summer plumbing checklist.
Diagnose It by Where It Leaks
| Where it leaks | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| From the handle, water on | Loose/worn packing nut | Tighten, then replace packing washer |
| From the spout, water off | Worn stem washer | Replace the washer or stem |
| From the top of the spout, hose running | Failed vacuum breaker | Replace the vacuum breaker cap |
| Inside the wall / won’t stop | Cracked frost-free body (freeze damage) | Replace the whole sillcock |
The Fixes
Leak at the handle: With a wrench, snug the packing nut behind the handle a quarter turn. If it still weeps, shut off the water, remove the handle and nut, and replace the packing washer or wrap new packing string under it.
Drip from the spout: Shut off the water supply to that line first. Unscrew the packing nut and pull the entire stem out. On a frost-free spigot the stem is long — that’s normal. Replace the rubber washer at the tip (or swap the whole stem), and reassemble.
Water from the top when the hose runs: The vacuum breaker (the cap on top that prevents backflow) has failed. Unscrew and replace just that cap — a cheap, two-minute part.
When to Replace the Whole Faucet
If the body is cracked — most often from water left in the line over winter that froze and split it — no washer will fix it. Replace the whole frost-free sillcock, sizing the length to your wall thickness so the shutoff seats inside the heated wall. If it leaks inside the wall, shut off the water and treat it like any other leaking pipe — that water is hitting your framing.
Upgrading? See our picks for the best frost-free outdoor spigots, and for winter prevention, an outdoor faucet cover is cheap insurance against the freeze that causes most of these leaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my outdoor faucet leaking from the handle?
A leak around the handle when the water is on is almost always a loose or worn packing nut. Tighten the packing nut a quarter turn with a wrench; if it still weeps, replace the packing washer or the stem. It is a cheap, easy fix.
Why does my hose bib drip from the spout when off?
A drip from the spout means the stem washer (the rubber seal at the end of the stem) is worn and no longer sealing. Shut off the water, unscrew the stem, and replace the washer — or the whole stem on a frost-free spigot.
Should I repair or replace a leaking outdoor faucet?
Repair first — most leaks are a $5 washer or packing fix. Replace the whole frost-free sillcock if the body is cracked (usually from a winter freeze), if it leaks inside the wall, or if the threads are stripped.
Fix the 12 Most Common Plumbing Problems Yourself — Free Plumber’s Handbook — including how to stop a leaking pipe before it floods the room
Step-by-step fixes for the 12 most common problems — and exactly when to call a pro. Free and instant, from a licensed plumber. Save hundreds on calls you didn’t need.