I have a hose bib outside that leaks from the handle when the water is
turned on. How do I fix this?

Try tightening the packing nut below the handle.



"Pat" wrote in message
...
I have a hose bib outside that leaks from the handle when the water is
turned on. How do I fix this?

RBM wrote:

[top posting repaired]

"Pat" wrote in message
...
I have a hose bib outside that leaks from the handle when the water is
turned on. How do I fix this?

Try tightening the packing nut below the handle.

Will work for small leak/drip if the washer/packing has some flex still
left in it...

Failing in that, disassemble, and if it's relatively new, likely to be
able to find new stem washer.

Failing that, buy some regular packing cord and repack it the old
fashioned way...

--

On Jul 22, 10:17 am, "Pat"
wrote:
I have a hose bib outside that leaks from the handle when the water is
turned on. How do I fix this?

As long as you have the wrench out to tighten the packing nut, take a
little extra time and:

- Turn off the supply to the bib
- Loosen the packing nut and remove the stem
- Inspect/replace the washer at the bottom of the stem
- Put it all back together

The stem washer shouldn't cause it to leak from the handle, but as
long as you've got the wrench out, why not do a little preventive
maintenance?

On Jul 22, 9:17 am, "Pat"
wrote:
I have a hose bib outside that leaks from the handle when the water is
turned on. How do I fix this?

It's not worth fooling with. Pick up a new one at your favorite box
store and replace it. Newer building codes call for the anti-syphon
widgets on sill cocks now, so you may as well take advantage of that
feature. HTH

Joe

On Sun, 22 Jul 2007 09:17:37 -0500, "Pat"
wrote:

I have a hose bib outside that leaks from the handle when the water is
turned on. How do I fix this?



Since I don't leave the hose on for long periods I've had success
reducing stem leakage by back seating it.

tom @ www.YourMoneyMakingIdeas.com

I've successfully replaced the plumbing on an entire house (copper changed
to plastic) but am not a plumber and have no idea what is meant by the
following terms:

packing nut
stem washer
packing cord
anti-syphon widgets
sill cocks
back seating

This bib feeds the hose I use to fill my pool and irrigate the garden, and
thus needs to be left on for long periods. I want to do it right. It looks
like an ordinary hose bib with a handle shaped like a wheel mounted on the
front and perpendicular to the ground, with a screw in the center. I tried
tightening and loosening that screw. Loosening it makes the leak worse,
tightening it appears to do nothing.

Pat wrote:
I've successfully replaced the plumbing on an entire house (copper changed
to plastic) but am not a plumber and have no idea what is meant by the
following terms:

packing nut
stem washer
packing cord
anti-syphon widgets
sill cocks
back seating

This bib feeds the hose I use to fill my pool and irrigate the garden, and
thus needs to be left on for long periods. I want to do it right. It looks
like an ordinary hose bib with a handle shaped like a wheel mounted on the
front and perpendicular to the ground, with a screw in the center. I tried
tightening and loosening that screw. Loosening it makes the leak worse,
tightening it appears to do nothing.

The packing nut is the large nut at the base of the stem around which
the leak is coming.

The valve handle screw is simply that-it just holds the handled on the stem.

You need a wrench to tighten the nut on the valve body, not a screw
driver. You should get a backer and hold the valve body to be sure not
to do something bad if it's sweated copper. If it isn't tightened some
pretty easily, it isn't likely to solve the problem (and may not long
term, anyway, although it has been known to for quite a while, also).

The stem washer is the seal that keeps the water from leaking around the
stem when the valve is open -- it's just a bevel washer in most newer
faucets although older ones tended to use a different style/shape than
is commonly found today. The local hardware store will have a sizable
assortment.

To disassemble, you remove that nut (have to turn the water off, of
course) and then the stem will simply unscrew out of the valve body
giving you free access to see what you need, specifically.

"Packing cord" is valve "packing" in a small diameter rope. Before the
days of washers and so on, it was what was used almost exclusively. You
simply take some off the roll, wind it around the stem and then when it
is replaced and tightened, the compression causes it to seal...the
hardware store will have this, too....

The other stuff is beyond what you need for the problem...

--

"dpb" wrote

| The packing nut is the large nut at the base of the stem around which
| the leak is coming.

The leak actually seems to be coming from the handle area, right in the
front.

Pat wrote:
"dpb" wrote

| The packing nut is the large nut at the base of the stem around which
| the leak is coming.

The leak actually seems to be coming from the handle area, right in the
front.

Are you sure it's not coming around the stem and just running down or
spraying up to the handle?

The screw at the end of the stem in the center of the handle goes into
nothing but a tapped hole in the stem and there's no water there...

--

I don't think you are really trying. Leaking at the handle is
what the packing deals with. Why not just hire a plumber if you
don't want to do what is suggested?

Here is a picture of a faucet
http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-do-faucet-repairs.htm
I know it is not a picture of your faucet. Look at the picture,
find the area labeled "packing" . Packing is different than the
washer. Your faucet could probably use both, though several
people have suggested just snugging the packing to see if it
solves the problem. You would need to open the faucet and snug up
the packing nut. It has also been suggested to just replace the
unit, a more major project, but doable.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Pat" wrote in message
...

"dpb" wrote

| The packing nut is the large nut at the base of the stem
around which
| the leak is coming.

The leak actually seems to be coming from the handle area, right
in the
front.

Here is an even better one with a movie to watch:
http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/How_To_Repair_A_Dripping_Outdoor_Faucet-Faucets-S2659.html

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"DanG" wrote in message
...
I don't think you are really trying. Leaking at the handle is
what the packing deals with. Why not just hire a plumber if you
don't want to do what is suggested?

Here is a picture of a faucet
http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-do-faucet-repairs.htm
I know it is not a picture of your faucet. Look at the picture,
find the area labeled "packing" . Packing is different than the
washer. Your faucet could probably use both, though several
people have suggested just snugging the packing to see if it
solves the problem. You would need to open the faucet and snug
up the packing nut. It has also been suggested to just replace
the unit, a more major project, but doable.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Pat" wrote in message
...

"dpb" wrote

| The packing nut is the large nut at the base of the stem
around which
| the leak is coming.

The leak actually seems to be coming from the handle area,
right in the
front.

"DanG" wrote

| Here is an even better one with a movie to watch:
|
http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/How_To_Repair_A_Dripping_Outdoor_Faucet-Faucets-S2659.html

This is very helpful. Thanks!

You know, I spent half an hour or so searching all over that website and
could not find this information. I guess I just don't know how to search
very well.

Pat wrote:
"DanG" wrote

Here is an even better one with a movie to watch:

http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/How_To_Repair_A_Dripping_Outdoor_Faucet-Faucets-S2659.html

This is very helpful. Thanks!

You know, I spent half an hour or so searching all over that website
and could not find this information. I guess I just don't know how to
search very well.

Google: "repair+dripping+faucet" yields 106,000 hits.

It would take longer than half an hour to review that many.

"HeyBub" wrote

| Pat wrote:
| "DanG" wrote
|
| Here is an even better one with a movie to watch:
|
|
http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/How_To_Repair_A_Dripping_Outdoor_Faucet-Faucets-S2659.html
|
| This is very helpful. Thanks!
|
| You know, I spent half an hour or so searching all over that website
| and could not find this information. I guess I just don't know how to
| search very well.
|
| Google: "repair+dripping+faucet" yields 106,000 hits.
|
| It would take longer than half an hour to review that many.

I googled "repair leaking hose bib" and got a ton of results, many of which
turned out to be useless. Many led to the bobvila.com site. That site is
where I spent the most time searching, because it seemed to have everything
one could need, but I found nothing like what DanG posted. Several more
searches using different word combinations failed to find what DanG found as
well.

I apologize for not spending more time searching, and for hoping someone in
the newsgroup could point me in the right direction, and for asking for
help. I try to avoid asking for help, but sometimes I give in to temptation
because I run short of time. Unfortunately I do not know everything yet.
Please forgive me.

Pat wrote:

Google: "repair+dripping+faucet" yields 106,000 hits.

It would take longer than half an hour to review that many.

I googled "repair leaking hose bib" and got a ton of results, many of
which turned out to be useless. Many led to the bobvila.com site.
That site is where I spent the most time searching, because it seemed
to have everything one could need, but I found nothing like what DanG
posted. Several more searches using different word combinations
failed to find what DanG found as well.

I apologize for not spending more time searching, and for hoping
someone in the newsgroup could point me in the right direction, and
for asking for help. I try to avoid asking for help, but sometimes I
give in to temptation because I run short of time. Unfortunately I do
not know everything yet. Please forgive me.

Well, okay... But penance and an act of contrition may be required.

I'll get back to you.

Did you see:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to...et-repairs.htm

"HeyBub" wrote

| Did you see:
| http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to...et-repairs.htm

Yes. The faucet is now fixed. It was the simplest thing, just a few turns of
a wrench.

Pat wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote

| Did you see:
| http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to...et-repairs.htm

Yes. The faucet is now fixed. It was the simplest thing, just a few turns of
a wrench.

Which is what you were told in the first two responses within a few
minutes of the original posting...

--

"dpb" wrote
| Pat wrote:
| The faucet is now fixed. It was the simplest thing, just a few turns of
| a wrench.
|
| Which is what you were told in the first two responses within a few
| minutes of the original posting...

ONE MORE TIME - I APOLOGIZE FOR MY STUPIDITY I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A PACKING
NUT IS.

Geez, next time anything goes wrong around this house, I know where not to
look for help if I need it.

You just made this lonely woman's day.

Pat wrote:
"dpb" wrote
| Pat wrote:
| The faucet is now fixed. It was the simplest thing, just a few turns of
| a wrench.
|
| Which is what you were told in the first two responses within a few
| minutes of the original posting...

ONE MORE TIME - I APOLOGIZE FOR MY STUPIDITY I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A PACKING
NUT IS.

Geez, next time anything goes wrong around this house, I know where not to
look for help if I need it.

You just made this lonely woman's day.

Well, that wasn't the intent, sorry you took it that way...I was simply
pointing out that the question was answered directly and the responses
didn't _directly_ address what you did/or didn't know...

I tried best as knew how to describe the "where" and "how" of the nut as
being that part on the valve body through which the stem protruded and
that you would need a wrench instead of a screwdriver to tighten it in
response to the next one...don't know what else I could/snould have done...

--

"dpb" wrote
| Pat wrote:
| "dpb" wrote
| | Pat wrote:
| | The faucet is now fixed. It was the simplest thing, just a few turns
of
| | a wrench.
| |
| | Which is what you were told in the first two responses within a few
| | minutes of the original posting...
|
| ONE MORE TIME - I APOLOGIZE FOR MY STUPIDITY I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A
PACKING
| NUT IS.
|
| Geez, next time anything goes wrong around this house, I know where not
to
| look for help if I need it.
|
| You just made this lonely woman's day.
|
| Well, that wasn't the intent, sorry you took it that way...I was simply
| pointing out that the question was answered directly and the responses
| didn't _directly_ address what you did/or didn't know...
|
| I tried best as knew how to describe the "where" and "how" of the nut as
| being that part on the valve body through which the stem protruded and
| that you would need a wrench instead of a screwdriver to tighten it in
| response to the next one...don't know what else I could/snould have
done...

You did the best you could, given that you had no idea how dumb I was. If
you encounter anyone else who says they don't know the meaning of certain
specialty terms, believe them... People sometimes find themselves suddenly
faced with situations so foreign that they have difficulty even describing
them.

Seeing that leak gradually slowing down and stopping in response to the
energy applied by my own hand was a "wow moment". I felt a sense of
accomplishment and pleasure at what I had learned - suddenly "packing nut"
made sense to me! And then you kind of threw my stupidity back in my face
like a wet blanket, and I overreacted in the other direction.

Pat wrote:
"dpb" wrote
| Pat wrote:
| "dpb" wrote
| | Pat wrote:
| | The faucet is now fixed. It was the simplest thing, just a few turns
of
| | a wrench.
| |
| | Which is what you were told in the first two responses within a few
| | minutes of the original posting...
|
| ONE MORE TIME - I APOLOGIZE FOR MY STUPIDITY I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A
PACKING
| NUT IS.
|
| Geez, next time anything goes wrong around this house, I know where not
to
| look for help if I need it.
|
| You just made this lonely woman's day.
|
| Well, that wasn't the intent, sorry you took it that way...I was simply
| pointing out that the question was answered directly and the responses
| didn't _directly_ address what you did/or didn't know...
|
| I tried best as knew how to describe the "where" and "how" of the nut as
| being that part on the valve body through which the stem protruded and
| that you would need a wrench instead of a screwdriver to tighten it in
| response to the next one...don't know what else I could/snould have
done...

You did the best you could, given that you had no idea how dumb I was. If
you encounter anyone else who says they don't know the meaning of certain
specialty terms, believe them... People sometimes find themselves suddenly
faced with situations so foreign that they have difficulty even describing
them.

Seeing that leak gradually slowing down and stopping in response to the
energy applied by my own hand was a "wow moment". I felt a sense of
accomplishment and pleasure at what I had learned - suddenly "packing nut"
made sense to me! And then you kind of threw my stupidity back in my face
like a wet blanket, and I overreacted in the other direction.

Yeah, I know that moment! Glad it worked...

And, again, the problem wasn't deliberate, and I believed it as I gave a
listing/definition/description of the terms you asked about...but you
didn't respond back to me (directly) that you didn't follow those but
the thread went off into google searches and such that seemed pretty far
afield so I quit following it closely (after pointing out the symptom of
the stem itself leaking _had_ to be a misdiagnosis because there's no
path to the water for a leak under the handle screw).

Anyway, _do_ come back, ahr is, overall, a pretty friendly group for
usenet w/ at least a moderately high signal to noise ratio...

--

"dpb" wrote
| _do_ come back, ahr is, overall, a pretty friendly group for
| usenet w/ at least a moderately high signal to noise ratio...

I probably will, since my house is falling apart around me and I've got to
do it all myself. I can build like an ancient Japanese architect, but when
it comes to repairs I often get lost.