How to Install a Frost-Proof Faucet

with plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey, This Old House television

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. Frost-proof sillcock

2. Copper tubing and assorted fittings

3. Emery cloth
used to clean outside of pipe ends prior to soldering

4. Flux

5. Lead-free solder

6. Silicone caulk
for creating a watertight seal between sillcock and wall

7. Carbide-tipped masonry drill bit
for drilling screw-anchor holes into masonry wall

8. Plastic wall anchors
for securing new sillcock to masonry wall

9. Stainless steel screws
used to attach new sillcock to wall

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Propane torch
- Tubing cutter, used to cut copper tubing
- Adjustable wrench,
  used to remove the stem assembly from the sillcock
- Drill/driver
- Caulking gun
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
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In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey explains how to install a frost-proof faucet.

Steps:

1. Turn off the water and drain the old hose faucet, also called the sillcock.
2. Use emery cloth to clean the copper water pipe leading to the hose faucet.
3. Cut the pipe using a tubing cutter and then remove the old hose faucet.
4. Insert the new frost-proof sillcock into the hole in the wall, and mark its mounting-hole locations.
5. Drill holes on the mark and insert plastic wall anchors.
6. Apply silicone caulk around flange of the frost-proof sillcock.
7. Slide sillcock into hole, press tight to wall and secure with stainless steel screws.
8. Use an adjustable wrench to remove stem unit from sillcock.
9. From inside, solder a length of copper pipe to the end of the sillcock.
10. Use a coupling to solder new pipe to the existing water pipe.
11. Re-install the stem unit into sillcock and tighten with wrench.
12. Turn on water and test your work.