Is watering the plants an essential part of your daily routine? Apart from having an appropriate garden hose, you must ensure that the size of your hose bib is apt too. Are you wondering how to do that? This article has got you covered with the hose bibs sizes and tips for maintenance.
A hose bibb is a faucet or water supply that is usually located at the exterior of your house. It is the water tap to which you connect your garden hose. Does that ring a bell?
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What are the Different Sizes of a Hose Bibb?
The size of your hose bibb or spigot should match that of your garden hose. Most of the bibbs are ½ or ¾ inches in diameter. It is the same for pipes used in lawns (½, ¾, or 5/8 in diameter).
Some hose bibbs may have an attached outlet that makes connecting a pipe easier. In such cases, the outlet you choose must match the size of your spigot as well as the garden hose.
What Kind of Valve is a Hose Bibb?
The hose bibb is a perfect valve to stop or start the water flow in your yard. The most common bibbs are globe valves. They have the regulators placed near to the handles. In such faucets, when you turn off the water, it will remain in the pipe behind the handle.
Such hose bibbs will stop the water right near the handle. If placed at the exterior of your house, it may cause the water present in the pipe to freeze.
How to Prepare Hose Bibbs for the Winter?
Houses located in colder areas often face freezing of water in their pipes. It is likely to occur if the outside temperature falls to 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit. This can also result in the bursting of a pipe. One way to save yourself from such situations is by getting a faucet cover.
Faucet covers are usually made of foam or thermal bags that fully cover the spigot. When tightly sealed around the hose bibb, these covers trap heat that is radiated through the faucet. They further prevent cold wind from entering, keeping your bibb completely safe.
When the water inside your pipe freezes, it expands and results in severe rupturing of the pipe. Worst case scenario, it may damage your entire pipeline, as well as walls. Using a hose bibb cover will not only protect your faucet but also save you from spending hundreds of dollars in repair.
FAQs :
1. Why use outdoor faucet covers?
Leaving an outdoor faucet exposed to low temperatures may cause the water in your pipe to freeze. It may damage your faucet or the entire pipe. Getting a faucet cover is an inexpensive way of saving yourself from the trouble of costly repairs.
2. Should I leave a faucet dripping in cold weather?
Yes, letting water drip from a faucet is one way to prevent water from freezing in the pipes. This is preferable if an outside bibb is exposed to temperatures lower than 20 -25 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. What happens if your water hose freezes?
If your water hose freezes, it may get cracks due to the expanded water inside. Worst case scenario, your hose may tear off, leading to water leakage.
4. What happens if your bibb freezes?
When left uncovered in cold weather, your bibb may freeze. A frozen hose bibb further leads to freezing of the pipe, causing it to burst due to ice expansion.
James Fields is the founder of Gardener to Farmer. His passion for gardening goes back to his childhood days when he would visit his grandfather during the holidays and help him with the plants in the backyard. This has now translated to creating a dependable resource for gardening.