4 Benefits of Frost-Free Sillcock Installation

Outdoor water access provides a lot of benefits for your home. You may garden, water the grass, or enjoy recreational benefits like the use of an outdoor swimming pool or water slide. No matter what your main water uses are for, the main way to access water is through the installation of a sillcock on the side of a home.

Chances are, you have a sillcock connection that came with the house, but the older style may not have frost-free attributes. A plumber can upgrade the exterior spouts on your home to include frost-free sillcocks. The frost-free design comes with many benefits and will last for years.

Learn about some of these benefits and how the installation of a frost-free sillcock can make a big difference on your home.

1. Leak Prevention

As autumn and winter arrive, the seasons include a lot of dramatic changes in temperature. Those changes could impact the materials in a standard sillcock. The expansion and contraction of sillcock without frost prevention can result in excess leaks. If water drips out of a sillcock on a regular basis, then you may notice dramatic increases in your water usage.

A frost-free sillcock will prevent leaks and can withstand extreme temperatures along with temperature changes. Excess leaks can only increase your water bill, but the water leaks could leak into the foundation of your home. The water could eventually cause foundation damage along with possible basement leaking.

Due to small leaks, you may not notice the issue right away, but it will build up over time and create worse problems for your home.

2. Crack and Damage Prevention

If you have a sillcock without frost protection, then extreme cold could cause the outer edges of the faucet to crack and create damage. Along with possible water leaks, a cracked sillcock could change the performance of the sillcock. For example, when spring rolls around again, the cracked sillcock may not connect to a hose properly.

The lack of a proper connection could lead to poor water pressure, major leaks, and the inability to properly use outdoor water options. If the damage goes deep inside the sillcock, then you may need additional plumbing repairs to ensure the outdoor water access works like it's supposed to and you don't run into any major issues.

The installation of a frost-free sillcock will prevent the onset of cracks due to freezing temperatures. Ideally, you want to have the sillcock installed before winter arrives. The sooner you have it installed, the more protection your home will have during the cold months.

3. Ice Buildup in the Home

If a sillcock has no frost protection, then any excess water left inside the pipes could freeze during the colder months. The ice buildup could impact the pipes in your home and may cause some of the water pipes to burst. A new sillcock with frost-free properties will prevent the onset of ice.

Excess water particles will remain in liquid form, and you do not need to worry about sudden plumbing damage in the extreme cold. The frost-free protection extends to the inner part of the sillcock that you cannot see from the exterior of the home. It reaches back far enough and past insulated areas where ice will not naturally form due to the indoor temperature.

Dealing with ice can create all kinds of issues and the elimination of buildup in the sillcock can make a big difference for your home.

4. New Sillcock Performance

Not only does a frost-free sillcock provide benefits during the winter, but the upgrade will help with the overall performance of your outdoor faucets. For example, an older faucet may have a handle that is too loose and water leaks out. The faucet could have a handle that is too tight and hard to turn on.

With a new sillcock installation, you will have a better handle that you can turn smoothly and turn off without any excess water leaking out. The connection spout will have new tethered elements so a hose can attach and work well with the faucet. You do not have to worry about chips or damage that impact the way you connect hoses.

The newer technology adds a lot of elements to your home and will make the use of the faucets stress-free. When you install the sillcock before the winter, you will be ready to go as soon as spring arrives and you seek additional water access outdoors.

If you want a frost-free sillcock, then contact our professionals at Jim Dhamer Plumbing and Sewer, Inc. Call us at (630) 964-2222 to set up an appointment. We can inspect your property, determine the best new sillcock to install, and help you get through the winter without any major sillcock issues. Our plumbers have years of experience and can answer any questions you have about sillcock installation or other plumbing issues you may deal with.