All gardeners will tell you that it is very practical to have an external water inlet valve. This simplifies watering, cleaning tools or hand hygiene after working the soil. Not to mention that if you have a dog, grooming it is still easier outside. The same for cleaning the terrace. In summer, children’s water games are done more cleanly, without watering the kitchen or the bathroom to reload the guns. For all these reasons, you need an outdoor faucet. For this purchase to be durable, it is a question of choosing it well and knowing how to install it. Follow the leader.
How to choose the right outdoor faucet?
Your faucet must withstand temperature variations, summer and winter, humidity and bad weather. Also, it should be able to easily hook up to your garden hoses, whether it’s washing the car or filling the pool. So you need a strong and adaptable faucet.
To choose a durable faucet, look at the different materials.
There are three types of faucets. Their price and durability vary depending on the strength of the base material.
- The cheapest are PVC. Unbeatable on the budget side, they are also less solid and will not last very long.
- More sturdy and stainless, the brass is a very good compromise if your budget is tight. Its aesthetic appearance makes your outdoor faucet a beautiful object, which does not spoil anything. Its reliability makes it the most widely used model in gardens.
- If you want a durable tap to install near a swimming pool, for example, you can invest in a tap made of stainless steel. The price difference is justified by the quality and duration.
- There are also solid taps in copperin steel brushed or chromed.
If you use it in winter, the antifreeze model is essential.
Essential to be able to continue to use your water supply in cold weather, the antifreeze function allows the tap to purge itself automatically after each use. No risk of frozen water blocking the water supply. Once the tap is closed, the water is evacuated from the fittings and the pipe. Thus protected from frost, your tap will be able to water without problems for many winters.
Otherwise, you still have the solution of winding up your classic faucet to try to protect it from freezing in winter. It’s up to you.
Think about the connection of the faucet-hose couple.
To easily connect your valve with a garden hose, it is essential to choose a tap with a threaded spout. You can screw on different fittings, depending on the type of hose and the use you have of it (watering the garden or summer shower, for example).
Find the type of faucet that’s right for you.
In addition to the quality of the material, there are different models of outdoor faucets:
- The ball valve is the most common. It has a quarter-turn valve with a joystick or butterfly type handle. Basic, it operates in the open or closed position, without flow control. Not very precise in flow, this tap is perfect for quick filling.
- The globe valve comes in several models. The regulation of the flow by the valve makes it possible to control the pressure. This type of faucet, a little more expensive, is ideal for precision watering.
- The gate valve offers several water outlet routes. Consumption is under control.
- The watering tap fits your garden hose perfectly.
The 10 steps to install your outdoor faucet
1 – Plan the equipment
If you’re handy enough to start installing an outdoor faucet, start by making sure you have the the necessary tools. Here is the list of equipment to gather: copper pipes, blowtorch, tin soldering rods, hacksaw (or pipe cutter), clamps, drill with concrete drill bit, adjustable wrench, screwdriver, tape measure, pipe bender hand. Without forgetting a garden tap and a valve with lever (to turn off the water in winter), unless you have an antifreeze system. Here’s how to install a faucet on the front wall of your home.
2 – Turn off the water in the house
Better to start by turning off the water and draining the pipes before starting the installation of the outdoor faucet. You will avoid drowning your site before you have started it!
3 – Measure the locations
You have decided where the faucet will be installed on the exterior wall. Now you need to precisely measure the height at which it will be placed. It is generally advisable to place it at least 50 cm from the ground. But as you age, you appreciate not having to bend down; fix it a little higher (60 or 70 cm) and provide an end cap to compensate.
Side interior, measure the location of the clamps. Place them about one meter above the ground (maximum). For rigid pipes (copper), the collars are to be spaced one meter apart. For flexible hoses, you can put them a little closer together to avoid twisting.
4 – Drill the wall
It’s time to use the concrete drill bit to drill the exterior wall. It is in the passage thus created that you will pass the pipe. Provide a sheath for your pipe, it is better to avoid leaving it in contact with the rough wall.
Then put the mounting clamps on the interior wall. Dowel them directly to the Placo plates.
5 – Bend the tube
The next step is to bend the copper tube according to your measurements. To do this, you must anneal the pipe, i.e. heat it with a blowtorch before suddenly cooling it in cold water: you can then bend it at the desired angle (be careful, no more than 90°) . If you don’t have a bender, you can use purchased springs of the correct size to bend your pipe by hand.
6 – Make a hole to create the water inlet
Drill a small hole in the cold water pipe. Blowtorch aces can use it to drill the hole. But watch out for the wall, it doesn’t necessarily like this kind of concentrated heat. You can also cut the pipe and use a tee before soldering with tin. Make a welding soldering with tin wire to connect the end of the copper tube and the pipe.
7 – Connect the copper tubes
You need to connect the copper tubes together to the location provided for the lever valve, which must be placed a little more than one meter from the wall. If you are not a soldering expert, the simplest solution is to use mechanical coupling. Sliding or crimped, this fitting (inexpensive) can be purchased in the right diameter and guarantees a perfect seal; just clip and you’re done.
8 – Attach the tubes and place the valve
Place the tubes copper in the fixing collars along the entire length of the wall. A small screwdriver to tighten them well.
Place the valve (between 1 m and 1.50 m from the outside wall). You can turn on the water to check that it is working properly.
9 – Bend the last tube and fix the valve.
The last tube of the installation must be bent so as to be placed vertically, glued against the exterior wall 10 to 15 cm high. This pipe is placed at the end of the valve (cut it with a sufficient length for this). From the outside, insert the tube. Finally, you have to place the nut and fix the valve.
10 – Install the outdoor faucet
You have marked the location of the outdoor faucet with a pencil. It must be placed, pegged and screwed onto the pipe, on which a nut will have been screwed in advance. Tighten everything with a wrench. It’s time to turn on the tap… Is the water flowing? Congratulations, you have successfully installed!
It goes without saying that, if you do not feel confident for this kind of installation, you can always entrust this work to a plumber.