How a Sillcock Can be Customized to Meet Your Needs
How a Sillcock Can be Customized to Meet Your Needs
Gardening, watering plants/lawns, and spraying down driveways or outdoor furniture are common household tasks during the warm months of the year. In order to efficiently perform them, a homeowner needs access to a sillcock, which is also known as a hose bibb, spigot, or wall hydrant. This outdoor faucet is attached to the exterior of the structure and essentially has a spout in which to connect hoses to or supply water while outside.
The pipes of the sillcock lead to the main water supply of a home, which is where water is drawn for this component. Most homes (particularly in the northern portion of the U.S.) have a separate shut off valve for their sillcock. This allows the homeowner to cut off water access in the winter (freezing) months all while keeping the water running in the rest of the home. This shut off valve is often located in the home’s basement or on the other side of the outdoor wall with the sillcock. Another popular option in colder climates is to use a frostproof sillcock.
Although all sillcocks operate similarly, there are a number of features that set them apart, such as the handle type, turns, material, connection inlet, and mounting options. Since the application of the part serves is one of the biggest factors taken into consideration, continue reading to understand the five most common sillcock types:
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Name of Sillcock Type |
Description of Sillcock Type |
Picture of Sillcock Type |
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Standard (Traditional) |
Hose threads are positioned at a sharper angle, allowing a chance for the hose to kink. Often used for sampling and not in cases where you’d look to hook up a hose. |
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No-Kink/ Angle |
Hose threads are positioned at a designed angle so, when connecting a hose, there is less chance to kink while in use |
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Frostproof |
Valve that shuts water off in a heated space so it doesn’t freeze during cold temperatures |
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Boiler Drain |
More compact than a standard sillcock and often contains an angled spout. Used for boilers, water heaters, and storage tanks or simply installed in line to drain water in a plumbing or heating system. |
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Garden |
Usually mounts vertically with the outlet angling downward and is used to connect to a garden hose |
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As a component that allows homeowners to make the most of the outdoors during spring, summer, and fall, a sillcock is a necessity to any plumbing system. As previously stated, this part can be further customized based on a number of factors. To learn more about what these are and what sillcock product options A.Y. McDonald’s plumbing line offers, take the ‘Sillcocks’ AYU course, call our customer service department at 1-800-AY-CARES, or fill out a Contact Us form.
WARNING: It is unlawful in CALIFORNIA, VERMONT, MARYLAND, LOUISIANA and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA to use any product in the installation or repair of any public water system or any plumbing in a facility or system that provides water for human consumption if the wetted surface area of the product has a weighted average lead content greater than 0.25%. This prohibition does not extend to service saddles used in California, Louisiana or under USA Public Law 111-380.