Before you begin. This procedure is general reference information, not professional advice. Equipment varies by manufacturer, model, and year. Always follow the documentation supplied with your equipment — where it differs from this page, follow the manufacturer. Verify that you have the tools, the working conditions, and the ability to do this task safely. If anything is unclear, if the equipment is damaged, or if the task exceeds your experience, stop and use a qualified professional. You are responsible for your own safety and for the outcome. This site accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or injury arising from the use of this information.
Specifications marked unverified could not be traced to a manufacturer source. Do not rely on them — obtain the value from your equipment documentation.
Summary
A frost-proof outdoor tap — also called a frost-free faucet, a freezeless faucet, or a sillcock — looks like an ordinary hose bib from the yard, but the part that actually shuts the water off sits far back inside the wall, in the warm part of the house. Arrowhead Brass, a maker of these fixtures, builds that shutoff point at the far end of a single long stem, and depending on the model that stem can run roughly 7 to 18 inches into the wall. The 2 to 14 inch figure printed in Arrowhead's guide is the wall-thickness code in the model number, not the stem itself, so measure yours rather than assume. A drip from the spout when the tap is closed almost always means the washer at that far end has worn out. A drip or a weep around the handle instead points to the packing, a seal that sits where the stem passes through the nut you turn the handle against. Both parts sit on the same stem, and neither one can be reached from the front of the tap without pulling that whole stem out first.
This page covers the method: how to find where the tap leaks, how to shut off the water, how to remove the stem, and how to fit a new washer and new packing. It does not cover a plain outdoor hose bib with no long stem — for that ordinary compression tap, see Stopping a Dripping Tap instead. It also does not print a part number or a torque figure for the packing nut: a repair kit is specific to the maker and the model, and Arrowhead Brass alone sells at least six different hydrant series that use different kits, so guessing at a number here would be more likely to be wrong than useful. Measure your stem, find your maker, and match the part — the method on this page gets you to that point.
Necessary equipment
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Adjustable wrench | A small wrench does not open far enough for the packing nut. |
| Masking tape | The tape on the wrench stops marks on the packing nut. |
| Cloth | Use the cloth to dry the tap and the spout. |
| Flashlight optional | Use the flashlight to look at the seat and the packing. |
| Repair kit for your tap, matched to your make and model material | The repair kit must match the make and the model of your tap. |
| Grease that your tap manufacturer approves material | The wrong grease can make the packing soft. |
Find where the tap leaks
Estimated 6 min
Source: Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-08-03
Source: Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker) · tier 1 · accessed 2026-08-03
- Close the tap fully.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Find where the tap leaks
- Dry the spout with a cloth.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Find where the tap leaks
- Look at the spout for two minutes.2mReport a problem with step 3, Find where the tap leaks
- If water comes from the spout, the washer has wear.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Find where the tap leaks
- A broken seat inside the tap gives the same result.
- Open the tap fully.<1mReport a problem with step 5, Find where the tap leaks
- Look at the packing nut while the water runs.1mReport a problem with step 6, Find where the tap leaks
- If water comes from the packing nut, the packing has wear.<1mReport a problem with step 7, Find where the tap leaks
- Close the tap.<1mReport a problem with step 8, Find where the tap leaks
- Write down where the water came from.<1mReport a problem with step 9, Find where the tap leaks
Remove the hose and other devices
Estimated 1 min
- Remove the hose from the tap.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Remove the hose and other devices
- Remove any other device from the tap.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Remove the hose and other devices
- A timer or a splitter can hold water inside the tap.
Close the indoor shut-off valve
Estimated 7 min to 19 min
Source: How do I winterize my outdoor hose bibb faucets? · tier 1 · accessed 2026-07-29
- Find the indoor shut-off valve for the tap.5mReport a problem with step 1, Close the indoor shut-off valve
- The valve is usually on the supply line inside the building.
- The valve is usually near the wall behind the tap.
- Close the indoor shut-off valve.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Close the indoor shut-off valve
- Open the tap fully.<1mReport a problem with step 3, Close the indoor shut-off valve
- Let the water drain from the tap.1mReport a problem with step 4, Close the indoor shut-off valve
- Wait until no more water comes from the spout.
Remove the stem from the tap
Estimated 4 min to 9 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
CLOSE THE INDOOR SHUT-OFF VALVE BEFORE YOU LOOSEN THE PACKING NUT.
Water left in the line can leave the tap with force.
- Loosen the packing nut with a wrench.2mReport a problem with step 1, Remove the stem from the tap
DO NOT USE FORCE ON THE STEM.
Speak to a plumber if you cannot remove the stem.
- Remove the stem from the body of the tap.2mReport a problem with step 2, Remove the stem from the tap
- The seat of a frost-proof tap is deep inside the wall.
- The whole stem leaves the tap as one piece.
Examine the washer and the packing
Estimated 3 min
LOOK AT THE SEAT BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE NEW WASHER.
A worn seat lets the tap leak again.
- Look at the washer on the end of the stem.<1mReport a problem with step 1, Examine the washer and the packing
- Look for a crack or a groove in the washer.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Examine the washer and the packing
- Look at the seat inside the body of the tap.1mReport a problem with step 3, Examine the washer and the packing
- If the space is dark, use the flashlight.
- Do not touch the seat with a hard tool.
- Look at the packing on the stem.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Examine the washer and the packing
- Look for a crack or a flat side on the packing.<1mReport a problem with step 5, Examine the washer and the packing
Get the correct repair parts
Estimated 7 min (partly estimated)
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
- Measure the stem from tip to tip.1mReport a problem with step 1, Get the correct repair parts
- Manufacturers use this measurement to match the correct repair kit.
- Find the make of the tap on the body or the handle.1mReport a problem with step 2, Get the correct repair parts
- Open the parts list from the manufacturer of your tap.3mReport a problem with step 3, Get the correct repair parts
- A repair kit for one brand does not fit a different brand.
- Take the old washer and the old packing to the parts counter.Report a problem with step 4, Get the correct repair parts
- Get the new washer and the new packing for your make and your model.2mReport a problem with step 5, Get the correct repair parts
- A part for a different model does not seal.
Install the new parts
Estimated 6 min
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
No tier-1 source was found for this value. Take it from the documentation supplied with your equipment.
TIGHTEN THE PACKING NUT BY HAND FIRST.
Too much force with the wrench can crack the body of the tap.
- Install the new packing on the stem.2mReport a problem with step 1, Install the new parts
- Install the new washer on the end of the stem.2mReport a problem with step 2, Install the new parts
- Put the stem back into the body of the tap.1mReport a problem with step 3, Install the new parts
- Push the stem into the tap until it stops.
- Install the packing nut by hand.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Install the new parts
- Tighten the packing nut with a wrench a small amount.<1mReport a problem with step 5, Install the new parts
Look at the tap for a leak
Estimated 9 min
- Open the indoor shut-off valve slowly.1mReport a problem with step 1, Look at the tap for a leak
- Close the tap.<1mReport a problem with step 2, Look at the tap for a leak
- Look at the spout for two minutes.2mReport a problem with step 3, Look at the tap for a leak
- Open the tap fully.<1mReport a problem with step 4, Look at the tap for a leak
- Let the water run for one minute.1mReport a problem with step 5, Look at the tap for a leak
- Look at the packing nut for one minute.1mReport a problem with step 6, Look at the tap for a leak
- Close the tap again.<1mReport a problem with step 7, Look at the tap for a leak
- Dry the tap with a cloth.<1mReport a problem with step 8, Look at the tap for a leak
- Look at the tap for two minutes.2mReport a problem with step 9, Look at the tap for a leak
Terminology
This page uses one term for each item and holds it throughout, as ASD-STE100 requires. Equipment sellers and other guides use the names below for the same parts.
- frost-proof wall hydrant
- Also called: frost free faucet, frost-free spigot, freezeless faucet, freeze proof faucet, anti freeze tap, sillcock, yard hydrant, outside tap, hose bib
- stem
- Also called: faucet stem, valve stem, spindle, the long rod inside the tap
- washer
- Also called: seat washer, rubber washer, tap washer, the rubber disc at the end of the stem
- packing
- Also called: packing washer, stem packing, gland packing, the seal under the handle
- packing nut
- Also called: bonnet nut, bonnet, gland nut, retaining nut, the big nut behind the handle
- indoor shut-off valve
- Also called: stop valve, isolation valve, shutoff, the valve in the basement
When to use a professional
Stop if you cannot find an indoor shut-off valve for the tap. Speak to a plumber. A plumber can fit a valve before you try this repair.
Stop if the shut-off valve does not close. Stop if the valve leaks when you turn it. Do not use force on the valve. Speak to a plumber.
Stop if a new washer does not stop the leak from the spout. The seat inside the tap can have damage. Speak to a plumber about the whole hydrant.
Stop if you cannot remove the stem from the tap. Do not use force on the stem. Speak to a plumber.
Tighten the packing nut by hand, then a small amount with the wrench. Stop if the tap still leaks from the packing nut after this. Do not add more force to the nut. Speak to a plumber.
This page does not give a part number for your tap. This page does not give a torque figure for the packing nut. Ask the manufacturer of your tap for these two answers.
This page covers a frost-proof tap with a long stem inside the wall. A short outdoor tap with no long stem is a different repair.
Common questions
My outside tap won't shut off all the way. Is that the same repair?
Usually, yes, if the tap is a frost-proof type with a long stem inside the wall. A hose bib that will not shut off is almost always a worn washer at the far end of the stem, the same part this page walks you through replacing. If your outdoor tap is short, with no long stem reaching into the wall, it works more like an indoor tap — see Stopping a Dripping Tap instead.
What is a frost-free faucet, and how is it different from a plain hose bib?
A frost-free faucet — also called a frost-proof wall hydrant, a freezeless faucet, a sillcock, or a yard hydrant — looks like a normal outdoor tap, but the part that shuts the water off sits back inside the heated wall instead of at the spout. Arrowhead Brass, one manufacturer of these fixtures, builds them with a single stem that runs from the handle to that inside shutoff point, and depending on the series that stem is roughly 7 to 18 inches long. Arrowhead's own tables run a 4-inch hydrant to an 8-inch stem and a 14-inch hydrant to an 18-inch stem, because the number in the model name is the wall thickness it suits, not the length of the part. Measure yours tip to tip before you order. A plain hose bib has no long stem: the washer sits right behind the spout.
Why does the whole stem come out instead of just the washer?
Because the washer sits at the far end of a stem that reaches deep inside the wall, and there is no way to get to it from the spout end. The stem, the washer and the seat all travel together as one part when you loosen the packing nut and remove it from the tap. This is the detail that trips people up: a frost-free tap looks like it should open the same way an indoor tap does, and it does not.
The tap drips around the handle, not from the spout. What does that mean?
That points to the packing rather than the washer. The packing is the seal that sits where the stem passes through the packing nut, and once it wears, water finds its way out around the handle while the tap is open rather than from the spout when it is closed. Tightening the packing nut a little can help temporarily, but a worn packing needs replacing.
Where do I find the right repair kit for a sillcock or a yard hydrant?
From the manufacturer of your specific tap, not from a generic size chart. Measure the stem from tip to tip, find the make on the body or the handle, and use that information with the manufacturer's own parts list — Arrowhead Brass alone sells at least six different hydrant series, each with its own kit numbers. Taking the old washer and the old packing to a plumbing supply counter also works if you cannot identify the model.
There is no shutoff valve for this tap inside my house. Can I still fix it?
Not with this page. Everything here assumes you can isolate the tap at an indoor valve before you open the packing nut, so that no water is under pressure while the stem is out. Without that valve, a plumber needs to add one before this repair is possible.
Related procedures
- How to winterize an outdoor faucet so it does not burst in winter
- How to fix a leaky faucet that drips from the spout or weeps around the handle
- How to find your main water shut off valve and check that it actually works
- How to clean a clogged faucet aerator when the water flow drops or sprays sideways
- How to check and replace the fill hoses on a washing machine
- How to keep water pipes from freezing in a cold snap, and what to do if one has already frozen
- How to tell if you have a hidden water leak using your water meter
- How to start up a garden irrigation or sprinkler system in spring
Sources
Every specification on this page is traced to one of these sources. Tier 1 is a manufacturer document, a published standard, or a government safety authority. See Standards for the full tiering rule.
- Tier 1Frost-Proof Wall Hydrant Installation, Use & Repair Guide (Arrow-Breaker)
- Tier 1How do I winterize my outdoor hose bibb faucets?
Revision history
Current version 1 · updated 2026-08-03 · next review due 2027-08-03
- v1 · 2026-08-03First draft. Repair method for a frost-proof wall hydrant with one long stem: locate the leak, remove the hose, isolate at the indoor valve, remove the stem, replace the washer and the packing. Cause-of-leak facts and the stem length range are sourced to Arrowhead Brass's own installation, use and repair guide; the repair-section content (leak causes per series, the stem-removal method) was read directly from the extracted PDF text on 2026-08-03, beyond the burst-mechanism passage already quoted in the source's registry notes. The indoor shut-off valve location is sourced to Boshart Industries, reusing the citation already verified for winterize-outdoor-taps. No part number and no torque figure publishes as a verified value; both route to the tap manufacturer, matching the pattern used on stop-a-dripping-tap. Written independently in Simplified Technical English; no source sentence was paraphrased. Scoped to taps with a long internal stem only; a short hose bib with no long stem is out of scope and the summary and FAQ route that reader to stop-a-dripping-tap. All four verified specifications carry no spec_key because data/specs.json is written centrally after the merge; check 2 reports this as a warning, not an error, matching the precedent set on winterize-outdoor-taps.
Corrections to this page are listed in the public corrections log. Reports that are credible and not yet verified are listed in the public errata register, and an open one renders above the step it concerns.
Comments and corrections
Found an error? A correction with a manufacturer source is applied and logged publicly. You can also write to corrections@fixchecklist.com.
Every step above carries its own report control, which tags the report with that step so a correction reaches the right place. For anything about the procedure as a whole — the order of the sections, a step that is missing, something that did not match your equipment — use this: report something about this whole procedure.