Faucet & Sink Repair
Cure drips, weak flow, stuck stop valves and puddles in the cabinet below.
Plumbing guide
Outdoor Spigot Leaking in Goodyear, AZ: Causes and Fixes
A dripping hose bib is easy to ignore, yet it wastes water all day and can soak the wall behind it.
By the Goodyear Express Plumbing team ·
Where is the drip?
Check three places: the spout, the stem under the handle and the wall behind the spigot. A drip from the spout when the faucet is closed points to a worn washer or seat. Water around the handle points to loose packing. Water inside the wall or on the ceiling below points to a problem past the faucet.
Photograph it and note whether the hose is attached.
Washers and packing
Close the supply valve to the faucet if there is one, unscrew the stem and replace the rubber washer. Tighten the packing nut slightly if the handle leaks. Many hose bibs can be rebuilt with a small kit.
If the stem is corroded or the body is cracked, replace the faucet.
Drip location and cause
Where the water appears points to the part.
| Location | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Spout, handle closed | Worn washer or seat | Swap the washer |
| Beneath the handle | Loose packing | Snug or replace the packing |
| Cap on the neck | Vacuum breaker | Normal while running, replace if constant |
| Inside the wall | Joint or pipe leak | Close the supply and call |
Vacuum breakers
Many modern hose bibs have a vacuum breaker, a small cap that stops water from flowing backward into the house supply. Water may spit from it when the faucet is on and a hose is attached. That is normal if it stops when the faucet is closed.
A breaker that leaks continuously may need replacement. See backflow prevention for why it matters.
Heat and sun
Valley sun bakes brass and plastic parts. Rubber washers harden and crack, and hoses left on the spigot hold water under pressure. Remove hoses when not in use, and shade the faucet if you can.
Hard water scale can also keep the washer from sealing.
Leaks behind the wall
If water appears inside the wall, in a garage or below the faucet, the pipe behind it may be leaking at the joint. Turn off the supply to that line and call. Check the meter to see whether the leak is steady. Leak detection can pinpoint it.
Do not ignore a wet wall; moisture can reach framing and drywall.
Irrigation connections
Many outdoor lines branch off the hose bib to feed irrigation or a drip system. A leak at the tee or a cracked adapter can look like a spigot problem. Check the connections and tighten them gently.
If a wet spot develops in the yard, the line underground may be broken.
Replacing the whole spigot
If the body is cracked, the stem is stripped or the faucet is corroded, replace it. Shut off the supply, cut or unthread the old faucet and fit a new one with the correct connection. A frost free design is not needed in the Valley, but a sturdy brass body lasts longer in the sun.
A leak at the wall flange is often a loose mounting. Tighten gently and seal the gap to keep insects out.
Drips that hide a bigger problem
A constant drip in a bed of gravel or mulch may go unnoticed for weeks. Look for green moss, algae streaks on the stucco and soft soil. A steady wet area below the spigot suggests the supply pipe has a pinhole as well.
Run the meter test described in our leak detection page. If the dial still turns with everything off, keep looking.
Tips for hoses and attachments
Use a hose with a good washer at the connection, and tighten by hand. Remove splitters and timers when they are not in use because their weight stresses the stem. A kinked hose under pressure can also pop the vacuum breaker.
In summer, hot water sitting in a hose can scald, so run it for a few seconds before use.
When to call a plumber
Call if the leak is inside the wall, if the faucet will not shut off, if the stem snaps or if you cannot find the supply valve. Describe where the water shows up and whether the dripping stops when the handle is tightened. Photos help the dispatcher plan the visit.
Why spigots fail in the desert
Constant sun makes rubber and plastic brittle. Hard water leaves scale that wears seats and stems. Heavy hoses and splitters stress the stem. Lawn equipment bumps the faucet. A little care, like shading the faucet and removing hoses, adds years.
Brass bodies resist heat better than plastic ones, so ask for brass when you replace a faucet.
Quick repair kit checklist
A small kit helps: replacement washers, a packing nut wrench, plumber's tape, a spare vacuum breaker cap and a flashlight. Keep them in a labeled bag near the supply valve.
Most spigot jobs take under an hour. If a part will not budge, stop and call. Forcing a corroded stem can snap it and open the line.
Seasonal care for outdoor faucets
Each spring, open every spigot, check the handle, look under the cap and watch for drips at the wall. After a summer of heavy use, inspect again. A short routine finds small leaks before they soak stucco or foundation soil.
Replace a hose bib that is more than a decade old, even if it seems fine. Brass fatigues, and a replacement is cheap compared with a repair after a wall leak.
Cost of waiting
A faucet that drips once a second wastes thousands of gallons a year, and in a dry climate that is water you pay for and lose to the soil. Add the risk of a wet wall and stained stucco, and a quick repair is clearly the cheaper path. Fix drips as soon as you see them.
Choosing the replacement
Pick a brass body with a solid handle and a built in vacuum breaker, and match the pipe connection type already on the wall. If you are unsure whether the line is copper or PEX, ask the installer to bring the right fittings.
Common questions
Outdoor spigot questions
A worn washer is the most common cause.
Often yes, with a repair kit. Leaks behind the wall need a plumber.
Remove it when not in use to protect the faucet.
It can. A steady drip adds up over time.
Related services
Backflow Testing & Prevention
Inspect, test and repair the device that stops yard water from reaching the drinking supply.
Leak Detection
Pinpoint concealed water loss in walls, floors or buried pipe using listening gear and pressure tests.
More plumbing guides
Backflow preventers and irrigation
What a backflow device does, why sprinklers need one and where reclaimed water fits in.
Why is my water bill so high?
Seven common reasons a bill jumps, and a quick way to separate a leak from heavy use.
How to turn off the main water valve
Find and test your main shutoff before a leak forces the issue.
Water showing up behind the wall?
Call and describe the leak. The dispatcher will find a contractor nearby.