Outdoor Faucet Leaking? 5 Causes and How to Fix Them

Before you start

Philadelphia Water says most outdoor faucets have a dedicated shutoff valve inside, and that the main house-side valve near the meter shuts off everything in an emergency.⁠[3] Find both before you need them.

Find where the water comes out

Turn the faucet on with no hose, then off, and watch each spot. Woodford's troubleshooting sheet sorts leaks by where they appear and whether the faucet is on or off.⁠[2]

1. 01

   Leaky hose connection

   Most commonDIYTime: 5 min

   Water sprays where the hose screws onto the spout.
   Fix it: Leaky hose connection →
2. 02

   Packing leak at the stem

   CommonDIYTime: 10 min

   Water seeps from behind the handle while the faucet runs.
   Fix it: Packing leak at the stem →
3. 03

   Worn seat washer

   CommonDIY with careTime: 45 min

   The spout drips or runs with the handle turned off.
   Fix it: Worn seat washer →
4. 04

   Fouled vacuum breaker

   Less commonDIYTime: 20 min

   Water spits from the cap on top of the faucet while it runs.
   Fix it: Fouled vacuum breaker →
5. 05

   Pipe burst by a freeze

   Less commonPro only

   Water shows up inside the wall, often the first time you use the faucet in spring.
   What a pro does: Pipe burst by a freeze →

Leak where the hose connects

This is a hose problem more often than a faucet problem. EPA says to check the garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot, and to get a tight connection using pipe tape and a wrench.⁠[4]

1. 01

   Step 01 of 03

   Look inside the hose coupling

   • Time: 2 min

   Unscrew the hose. A flat rubber washer sits inside the female end. A missing, cracked or hard washer lets water spray out.

   You'll know it worked when: You know whether the rubber washer is there and still soft.

2. 02

   Step 02 of 03

   Seat a new hose washer

   • Time: 2 min

   Pry out the old washer with a small screwdriver and press a new one in with your thumb. EPA's fix for a hose that leaks at the spigot starts with a new nylon or rubber hose washer.⁠[4]

   You'll know it worked when: A fresh washer sits flat in the coupling.

3. 03

   Step 03 of 03

   Tape the threads and snug the hose

   • Time: 5 min
   • Adjustable wrench
   • PTFE thread seal tape

   Wrap the faucet's outlet threads clockwise with tape. Screw the hose on by hand, then snug it with the wrench, as EPA suggests.⁠[4]

   You'll know it worked when: No water sprays at the connection with the faucet fully open.

A hose left on through the winter does more harm than a spray at the coupling, as the freeze section explains.

Still not fixed? Next likely cause: Packing leak at the stem →

Water around the stem

The packing is a seal around the operating stem, held by a hex nut right behind the handle. Woodford says this packing nut will occasionally need to be tightened to stop a leak around the stem when the faucet is on.⁠[2]

1. 01

   Step 01 of 02

   Snug the packing nut

   • Time: 5 min
   • Adjustable wrench

   Leave all the parts in place. Turn the packing nut clockwise until it is snug and the leak stops, as Woodford describes.⁠[2] Don't keep cranking it; the handle should still turn.

   You'll know it worked when: No water seeps from behind the handle while the faucet runs.

2. 02

   Step 02 of 02

   Fit new packing if the leak comes back

   • Time: 30 min
   • Adjustable wrench
   • Screwdriver set

   Woodford says a persistent leak needs new packing. Shut off the supply, back out the packing nut and pry the old packing loose with a small screwdriver.⁠[2] Take it with you to match the size.

   You'll know it worked when: The new packing seals the stem.

Packing wears with use, so a faucet you run every day in summer may need a snug turn each season.

Still not fixed? Next likely cause: Worn seat washer →

Spout drips when the faucet is off

A frost-free faucet closes deep inside the wall, at the end of a long stem. Woodford says a faucet that runs or drips with the handle off has a worn or damaged valve seat rubber, or a loose retainer screw holding it.⁠[2] On a short, older hose bibb, the washer sits right behind the handle; the same idea applies.

1. 01

   Step 01 of 05

   Shut off the water to the faucet

   • Time: 5 min

   Close the indoor shutoff valve and open the outdoor faucet to drain it.⁠[3]

   You'll know it worked when: No water comes out when you open the outdoor faucet.

2. 02

   Step 02 of 05

   Back out the packing nut

   • Time: 5 min
   • Adjustable wrench

   Loosen the handle and back out the packing nut, as Woodford's rod removal steps say.⁠[2]

   You'll know it worked when: The packing nut is free of the faucet body.

3. 03

   Step 03 of 05

   Unscrew and pull out the operating rod

   • Time: 10 min
   • Screwdriver set

   Use the handle to turn the rod counterclockwise until it comes free of the seat. Pry the packing loose with a small screwdriver and pull the rod out. Woodford says a check valve on some rods adds resistance, so use a swift pull.⁠[2]

   You'll know it worked when: The full rod is out and you can see the rubber at its far end.

4. 04

   Step 04 of 05

   Fit a new seat rubber and snug its screw

   • Time: 15 min

   Fit the seat rubber from the repair kit for your model and snug the retainer screw. Push the rod back in, turn it clockwise to seat, and refit the packing nut.

   You'll know it worked when: The new rubber is held firmly by its screw.

5. 05

   Step 05 of 05

   Turn the water back on and test

   • Time: 5 min

   Open the indoor valve slowly. Woodford says that if a new seat rubber doesn't fix the leak, the seat itself may be damaged and the faucet must be replaced.⁠[2]

   You'll know it worked when: The spout stays dry with the handle off.

Still not fixed? Next likely cause: Fouled vacuum breaker →

Water from the cap on top

Many frost-free faucets have a vacuum breaker under a small plastic cap on top. Woodford says water leaking from it while the faucet runs means it is fouled or damaged.⁠[2]

1. 01

   Step 01 of 03

   Shut off the water and pry off the cap

   • Time: 5 min
   • Screwdriver set

   Close the indoor valve. Pry the plastic cap off the top of the faucet.⁠[2]

   You'll know it worked when: The vacuum breaker body is in view.

2. 02

   Step 02 of 03

   Lift out the vacuum breaker body

   • Time: 5 min
   • Slip-joint pliers

   Woodford removes the body with pliers and checks it for fouling.⁠[2]

   You'll know it worked when: The breaker body is out and you can check it for grit.

3. 03

   Step 03 of 03

   Clean it, or fit a new float kit

   • Time: 10 min

   Woodford checks the body for fouling, or replaces it with the vacuum breaker float kit for the model.⁠[2] Rinse off any grit, refit the parts, turn the water back on and test.

   You'll know it worked when: No water spits from the top while the faucet runs.

Grit from the supply line is a common reason a breaker fouls, so rinse the parts before you decide to buy a kit.

Still not fixed? Next likely cause: Pipe burst by a freeze →

Leak inside the wall: freeze damage

This is the leak to treat as urgent. Woodford explains the chain of events: a hose left attached keeps water from draining out of a frost-free faucet. The water freezes, the pressure has no way out, and the copper tube bursts inside the wall.⁠[2] Only a few drops leak at the time. The burst sits past the shutoff, so nothing shows until you turn the faucet on, sometimes months later.⁠[2] Woodford's fix is a new faucet.⁠[2]

1. 01

   Step 01 of 04

   Turn the outdoor faucet off

   • Time: 1 min

   Close the faucet handle at once. Water only escapes from this kind of burst while the faucet is open.⁠[2]

   You'll know it worked when: No more water flows into the wall.

2. 02

   Step 02 of 04

   Close the indoor shutoff valve

   • Time: 5 min

   Use the dedicated valve for that faucet, or the house-side main valve near the meter if there is none.⁠[3]

   You'll know it worked when: The pipe to the outdoor faucet holds no pressure.

3. 03

   Step 03 of 04

   Dry out the wet area

   • Time: 30 min
   • Microfiber towels
   • 5-gallon bucket

   Mop up, open the ceiling tile or cabinet nearby if you can, and set a fan on the area.

   You'll know it worked when: Standing water is gone and wet items are moved away.

4. 04

   Step 04 of 04

   Call a plumber about a new faucet

   • Time: 5 min

   Tell them the faucet leaks inside the wall when it runs. Bring up whether a hose was left on last winter.

   You'll know it worked when: A plumber is booked to fit a new faucet.

To keep it from happening again, Philadelphia Water's winter advice is to disconnect garden hoses, close the dedicated indoor valve, and leave the outdoor faucet open so the pipe can drain.⁠[3] Woodford also sells anti-burst models, such as its Model 19, which it says won't freeze and burst even with a hose attached; its standard Model 17 needs the hose removed.⁠[5]

Still not fixed? See when to call a pro →

Parts and tools for this fix

A wrench, a screwdriver and the repair kit for your faucet model cover most of these repairs. Match parts to the model before you buy; Woodford sells kits by model.⁠[2]

When to call a pro

Call a plumber for any leak inside the house, and for a faucet that still drips after a new seat rubber. Replacing a frost-free faucet means opening and resealing a pipe joint inside the wall.

Philadelphia Water reminds owners that the pipes on their property are their own responsibility, which is why the call goes to a licensed plumber, not the utility.⁠[3] For the rest of the house, see home plumbing basics, and the faucet repair basics page for other fixtures.

Frequently asked questions