As the weather starts to warm up, it is time to begin watering your outdoor plants and garden. However, springtime is also when people notice an issue with their outdoor faucets. Hopefully, last autumn you turned off the shutoff valve, capped spigots, and checked for leaks. If you took preventative measures, your outdoor spigots should be just fine this spring. However, if you forgot these steps or noticed any damage, you might need to perform maintenance or repairs on them once they thaw out after the long winter. It can be challenging to recognize the signs of an issue.
How Can I Tell if My Spigots Need Repairs?
There are a few things you can look for when it is time to repair your outdoor spigots. It is most common for spigots to be replaced in the springtime after people notice damages often caused by the cold winter. Signs that you need to repair your spigots often look like dripping water or a puddle underneath the spigot, or water leaking down the wall. Rust or buildup, damage to any components, or even odd sounds when the water is running, are also signs that you need repairs—doing so sooner than later is recommended. When everything works correctly, you can continue to use your faucet for your hose or sprinkler system.
Performing Maintenance on Outdoor Spigots
Fixing an outdoor spigot might not burn a hole in your pocket, but it is not necessarily fun. Once you find that you need repairs on your spigots, it is essential to perform maintenance to avoid further damage. You can either replace your spigot yourself or call in a professional to do it for you. Performing maintenance is not an overly complicated process. It calls for turning off the water supply to the outside tap, draining remaining water, unscrewing the current fixture, replacing it, and ensuring the water supply does not have any leaks when it is turned back on.
You do not realize how often you use your outdoor faucets until something goes wrong and you are prevented from using them. Whether it is to water the lawn, garden, fill up your pool, or play in the sprinkler, having an outdoor faucet is convenient if not necessary. In the wintertime, damage can occur around the faucet and spigot, so ensure that you check for any damages before turning on your water source. If you do find damage, make sure to contact a professional to replace your spigot so you can utilize your water supply this spring and summer.