Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Yes, I remove all hoses right after I use them.
Yes, it pitches downward on the outside.
Yes, the inside portion is in a heated building and the washer is well
inside.

What happens is that the stem, seems to freeze where it goes into the
packing behind the handle. Then the handle wont turn. A heat gun
normally solves it in a few minutes, but when it's way below zero
outdoors, the last thing I want to do is be f***ing around with that
faucet, and that's every other day when I fill livestock tanks.

When the weather is above 20F deg, but below freezing, it's usually ok.
Omce the temps get below 20F, it's almost guaranteed to be frozen. To
make matters worse, this one I have now, has a plastic handle and
plastic cap ion top as a vacuum breaker. That means I got to keep the
heat gun away from the plastic parts, which makes it harder to thaw.
(The rest of the faucet is brass).

Have any of you ever found one that dont freeze?

Yea, I know most of you never use these faucets in winter, but those of
us who run farms and have animals that need water are always struggling
with stuff like this, and it becomes real annoying when it becomes a
daily or every other day hassle.

I will mention that they dont freeze bad enough to where they would
crack, like a standard spigot, because they are not FILLED with water,
yet they are always frozen enough to make it impossible to turn the
handle. Actually I tried to force one of them, and broke the handle
off. So they are frozen tight!

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On 1/23/2013 4:43 AM, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Yes, I remove all hoses right after I use them.
Yes, it pitches downward on the outside.
Yes, the inside portion is in a heated building and the washer is well
inside.


Put one of those cheap foam coolers over the spigot when not in use.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On 1/23/2013 1:43 AM, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Do you cover the faucet with insulation so there's more heat coming from
the building than can get out the (covered) metal spigot?
I don't know what the number is, but there should be some amount
of insulation that works. Build an insulated box around it with
as much insulation as it takes in the door.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:59:10 -0500, Dave Stone
wrote:

On 1/23/2013 4:43 AM, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Yes, I remove all hoses right after I use them.
Yes, it pitches downward on the outside.
Yes, the inside portion is in a heated building and the washer is well
inside.


Put one of those cheap foam coolers over the spigot when not in use.

Do you mean a cooler like ones made for beer in the summer, or is there
something made for this use? Putting some type of insulation around it
does make sense, so the heat is kept in in the exterior part of the
faucet. However, is has to be easily removable to put the hose on.

Whatever it is, it has to be fairly durable because snow likes to drift
there and sometimes burys the faucet, which means I got to shovel around
it, and thats not always a gentle procedure, not to mention snow and
icicles falling off the roof.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:59:10 -0500, Dave Stone
wrote:

On 1/23/2013 4:43 AM, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Yes, I remove all hoses right after I use them.
Yes, it pitches downward on the outside.
Yes, the inside portion is in a heated building and the washer is well
inside.


Put one of those cheap foam coolers over the spigot when not in use.

Do you mean a cooler like ones made for beer in the summer, or is there
something made for this use? Putting some type of insulation around it
does make sense, so the heat is kept in in the exterior part of the
faucet. However, is has to be easily removable to put the hose on.

Whatever it is, it has to be fairly durable because snow likes to drift
there and sometimes burys the faucet, which means I got to shovel around
it, and thats not always a gentle procedure, not to mention snow and
icicles falling off the roof.

Outside Google Spigot Google Insulation Google

http://www.amazon.com/William-H-Harv...m/B000I1AZ9C/2

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:48:48 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote in
Re
Freeze proof faucets that freeze:

Whatever it is, it has to be fairly durable because snow likes to drift
there and sometimes burys the faucet, which means I got to shovel around
it, and thats not always a gentle procedure, not to mention snow and
icicles falling off the roof.

Outside Google Spigot Google Insulation Google

http://www.amazon.com/William-H-Harv...m/B000I1AZ9C/2

Those should work.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On 1/23/13 4:43 AM, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Yes, I remove all hoses right after I use them.
Yes, it pitches downward on the outside.
Yes, the inside portion is in a heated building and the washer is well
inside.

What happens is that the stem, seems to freeze where it goes into the
packing behind the handle. Then the handle wont turn. A heat gun
normally solves it in a few minutes, but when it's way below zero
outdoors, the last thing I want to do is be f***ing around with that
faucet, and that's every other day when I fill livestock tanks.

When the weather is above 20F deg, but below freezing, it's usually ok.
Omce the temps get below 20F, it's almost guaranteed to be frozen. To
make matters worse, this one I have now, has a plastic handle and
plastic cap ion top as a vacuum breaker. That means I got to keep the
heat gun away from the plastic parts, which makes it harder to thaw.
(The rest of the faucet is brass).

Have any of you ever found one that dont freeze?

Yea, I know most of you never use these faucets in winter, but those of
us who run farms and have animals that need water are always struggling
with stuff like this, and it becomes real annoying when it becomes a
daily or every other day hassle.

I will mention that they dont freeze bad enough to where they would
crack, like a standard spigot, because they are not FILLED with water,
yet they are always frozen enough to make it impossible to turn the
handle. Actually I tried to force one of them, and broke the handle
off. So they are frozen tight!




Maybe an "electric heat cable" like these ??

http://www.frostking.com/automatic-e...at-cable-kits/

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013 4:43:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze.

"Freeze proof" means that freezing won't destroy the faucet, not that it won't ever freeze up.

You put something wet in really cold temperatures, and it's going to freeze. That's physics.

The difference is that a "freeze proof" faucet doesn't put a pipe full of water out in the cold where it will freeze, expand, burst, and flood your basement.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

If you have a daily need it may be worth your while to have a frost-proof
anti-siphon hydrant valve installed. Try googloing "frostproof hydrant"
for some examples. These valves have a rod or linkage above ground,
and the actual valve is below the frost line. The linkage operates the
valve and water comes out through the above ground standpipe portion.
When the valve is closed, the water in the upper part of the piping
automtically drains, so no ice can form.



--
There are no stupid questions, but there are lots of stupid answers.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:14:09 +0000 (UTC),
(Larry W) wrote:

If you have a daily need it may be worth your while to have a frost-proof
anti-siphon hydrant valve installed. Try googloing "frostproof hydrant"
for some examples. These valves have a rod or linkage above ground,
and the actual valve is below the frost line. The linkage operates the
valve and water comes out through the above ground standpipe portion.
When the valve is closed, the water in the upper part of the piping
automtically drains, so no ice can form.


Actually, I have two of these already. One in my barn and another near
a lower pasture area. But I keep some small ponies next to the house in
winter, and theur tanks get filled from the spigot on the house. I
suppose putting in another yard hydrant would help, but th cost is
prohibitive. The hydrant itself is about $100 and the piping is not too
costly. I could even connect the pipes myself. But getting an
excavator to even drive to the property is at least $750 and ends up
costing $1000 and up. When I was younger, I'd dig a 25 foot long trench
6 foot deep with a shovel, but no more.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:48:48 +0000 (UTC), DerbyDad03
wrote:

wrote:
On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 04:59:10 -0500, Dave Stone
wrote:

On 1/23/2013 4:43 AM, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze. I've tried several brands, one was cheap, the another was
costly. They ALL freeze in cold weather.

Yes, I remove all hoses right after I use them.
Yes, it pitches downward on the outside.
Yes, the inside portion is in a heated building and the washer is well
inside.


Put one of those cheap foam coolers over the spigot when not in use.

Do you mean a cooler like ones made for beer in the summer, or is there
something made for this use? Putting some type of insulation around it
does make sense, so the heat is kept in in the exterior part of the
faucet. However, is has to be easily removable to put the hose on.

Whatever it is, it has to be fairly durable because snow likes to drift
there and sometimes burys the faucet, which means I got to shovel around
it, and thats not always a gentle procedure, not to mention snow and
icicles falling off the roof.

Outside Google Spigot Google Insulation Google

http://www.amazon.com/William-H-Harv...m/B000I1AZ9C/2


This looks okay, but I think he'd be better off with a 24-can beer
cooler. That way if he gets locked out of the house, he'll have the
beer to keep him company.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:09:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013 4:43:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze.

"Freeze proof" means that freezing won't destroy the faucet, not that it won't ever freeze up.

You put something wet in really cold temperatures, and it's going to freeze. That's physics.

But that's the point. The water is supposed to stay where it's not
really cold.

Maybe you havent' seen what he's referring to. They're about a foot
long and the valve on the outside looks like any other garden faucet,
but the stem is almost a foot long and the valve seat is 10 or 11
inches inside the house, in his case a heated basement probably.



The difference is that a "freeze proof" faucet doesn't put a pipe full of water out in the cold where it will freeze, expand, burst, and flood your basement.

Exactly. The water is not supposed to freeze.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:02:29 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:09:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013 4:43:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze.

"Freeze proof" means that freezing won't destroy the faucet, not that it won't ever freeze up.

You put something wet in really cold temperatures, and it's going to freeze. That's physics.

But that's the point. The water is supposed to stay where it's not
really cold.

Maybe you havent' seen what he's referring to. They're about a foot
long and the valve on the outside looks like any other garden faucet,
but the stem is almost a foot long and the valve seat is 10 or 11
inches inside the house, in his case a heated basement probably.

It's supposed to be installed so the valve seat is higher than the
spigot, too, so water will run out after it's shut off. If this isn't
done, they *will* freeze. They will also freeze if you leave a hose
connected. The key point here is that the water has to be allowed to
run out of the exposed part.

The difference is that a "freeze proof" faucet doesn't put a pipe full of water out in the cold where it will freeze, expand, burst, and flood your basement.

The valve on a "frost free" silcock is inside the house, rather than
outside. If it's allowed to freeze you can have a real mess. A
regular silcock will tend to break outside.

Exactly. The water is not supposed to freeze.

They are supposed to be installed correctly, too.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:11:09 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:02:29 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:09:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013 4:43:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze.

"Freeze proof" means that freezing won't destroy the faucet, not that it won't ever freeze up.

You put something wet in really cold temperatures, and it's going to freeze. That's physics.

But that's the point. The water is supposed to stay where it's not
really cold.

Maybe you havent' seen what he's referring to. They're about a foot
long and the valve on the outside looks like any other garden faucet,
but the stem is almost a foot long and the valve seat is 10 or 11
inches inside the house, in his case a heated basement probably.

It's supposed to be installed so the valve seat is higher than the

The OP said that was done.

spigot, too, so water will run out after it's shut off. If this isn't
done, they *will* freeze. They will also freeze if you leave a hose
connected.

He said he did that.

The key point here is that the water has to be allowed to
run out of the exposed part.

The difference is that a "freeze proof" faucet doesn't put a pipe full of water out in the cold where it will freeze, expand, burst, and flood your basement.

The valve on a "frost free" silcock is inside the house, rather than
outside. If it's allowed to freeze you can have a real mess. A
regular silcock will tend to break outside.

Exactly. The water is not supposed to freeze.

They are supposed to be installed correctly, too.

I didn't repeat everything that was already said.

I want to concentrate on the OP's problem, not on other people's who
didn't install it right, etc.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:05:26 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:11:09 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:02:29 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:09:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013 4:43:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze.

"Freeze proof" means that freezing won't destroy the faucet, not that it won't ever freeze up.

You put something wet in really cold temperatures, and it's going to freeze. That's physics.

But that's the point. The water is supposed to stay where it's not
really cold.

Maybe you havent' seen what he's referring to. They're about a foot
long and the valve on the outside looks like any other garden faucet,
but the stem is almost a foot long and the valve seat is 10 or 11
inches inside the house, in his case a heated basement probably.

It's supposed to be installed so the valve seat is higher than the

The OP said that was done.

spigot, too, so water will run out after it's shut off. If this isn't
done, they *will* freeze. They will also freeze if you leave a hose
connected.

He said he did that.

The key point here is that the water has to be allowed to
run out of the exposed part.

The difference is that a "freeze proof" faucet doesn't put a pipe
full of water out in the cold where it will freeze, expand, burst, and
flood your basement.

The valve on a "frost free" silcock is inside the house, rather than
outside. If it's allowed to freeze you can have a real mess. A
regular silcock will tend to break outside.

Exactly. The water is not supposed to freeze.

They are supposed to be installed correctly, too.

I didn't repeat everything that was already said.

I want to concentrate on the OP's problem, not on other people's who
didn't install it right, etc.

Yes, everything is installed correctly and no hose is left on it after
use. Like others said, there is still some water in it that dont dry
and freezes. Just enough to freeze the shaft so it wont turn. In the
severe cold we are having, it probably freezes almost immediately. When
I take the hose outside to use it, I must use it immediately. If I just
leave it sit outside for more than about 7 minutes, it freezes up. And
thats a room temperature hose brought out of the house. I have to
unthaw the faucet first, or the hose freezes by the time I get the
spigot unthawed. Then I leave the spigot run a little so it dont
re-freeze while I drag the hose out of the house.
WHAT A PAIN IN THE ASS THIS IS!!!!

I see this freezing of the spigot shaft cant be avoided. But some form
of insulated cover might help. I'm still thinking of some method that I
can use which can easily be removed when I use the faucet and easily
replaced after. I dont think those styrofoam things sold for this use
will hold up when snow and ice falls off the roof, in fact a neighbor
said he bought one, and it didn't last one winter. Snow fell off his
roof and smashed it.

Freeze proof faucets that freeze
 

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:05:26 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:11:09 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:02:29 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:09:08 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Wednesday, January 23, 2013 4:43:13 AM UTC-5, wrote:
They're called "FREEZE PROOF" faucets. Yet, I've never found one that
dont freeze.

"Freeze proof" means that freezing won't destroy the faucet, not that it won't ever freeze up.

You put something wet in really cold temperatures, and it's going to freeze. That's physics.

But that's the point. The water is supposed to stay where it's not
really cold.

Maybe you havent' seen what he's referring to. They're about a foot
long and the valve on the outside looks like any other garden faucet,
but the stem is almost a foot long and the valve seat is 10 or 11
inches inside the house, in his case a heated basement probably.

It's supposed to be installed so the valve seat is higher than the

The OP said that was done.

spigot, too, so water will run out after it's shut off. If this isn't
done, they *will* freeze. They will also freeze if you leave a hose
connected.

He said he did that.

The key point here is that the water has to be allowed to
run out of the exposed part.

The difference is that a "freeze proof" faucet doesn't put a pipe full of water out in the cold where it will freeze, expand, burst, and flood your basement.

The valve on a "frost free" silcock is inside the house, rather than
outside. If it's allowed to freeze you can have a real mess. A
regular silcock will tend to break outside.

Exactly. The water is not supposed to freeze.

They are supposed to be installed correctly, too.

I didn't repeat everything that was already said.

I want to concentrate on the OP's problem, not on other people's who
didn't install it right, etc.

There is something very wrong with the OP's story. If indeed
everything was installed correctly and there was no hose left
connected, it's impossible for the frostless silcock to freeze. You
believe the OP's story. I do not.