In this video, Ask This Old House Plumbing and Heating Expert Richard Trethewey installs a house hydrant to replace a leaky outdoor spigot.
Steps for Installing a House Hydrant
- Turn off the water supply to the outdoor spigot.
- Clean the cut point downstream of the water supply valve with an emery cloth.
- Cut the pipe with a pipe cutter. Some excess water may drain out.
- Unscrew the outdoor spigot using a screwdriver and remove it.
- The house hydrant is round; using a pencil, outline the hydrant head on the siding.
- Using an oscillating saw, cut out the outlined portion of the siding to fit the head.
- Insert the new pipe and house hydrant head into the hole in the siding.
- Place a bead of silicone caulking around the hydrant head and secure it with screws using a driver.
- Place the operating bar inside the pipe until the O-ring is seated at the edge of the pipe and is even with the threads.
- Connect the spring with a new piece of copper pipe by using a torch to solder the two together away from the new hydrant head pipe.
- Use the torch to solder the remaining copper pipe connection back to the main water supply.