Gardening does not have to be a daunting task. However, things become easier if you do not have to carry a bucket full of water a hundred times from your garden. Luckily, there is a solution. A garden hose and an outdoor faucet. It would help if you learned how to correctly connect the garden hose to the outdoor faucet to save you the trouble.
When you do the installation correctly, you can rest assured that all the debris and grime from the garden are washed away. This can be done while at the same time hydrating the park without wasting a lot of water.
How to Connect Garden Hose to Outdoor Faucets Correctly
We all probably get a little excited when we see green gardens with blooming flowers and juicy fruits. Well, there is a lot of watering before we get to see all these.
You cannot achieve efficient watering if there is a poor connection of the garden hose to the outdoor faucet.
If the fixture is not where you need it, use an available faucet with an aerator. Then, you can tap in and install the fixture where there is a water line.
Below is a description of how to correctly connect a garden hose to an outdoor faucet.
How to Install a Spigot or Faucet
Items Needed
The following tools and materials will be useful in the installation process
- Spigot
- Adjustable Wrench
- Hacksaw
- PVC cement
- Anti-siphon valve
- Plumbing tape
- PVC pipe/copper
- PVC/copper tee
- Bucket
- Propane torch, soldering flux, and lead-free solder
- Garden hose adapter
- Sandpaper
- Adjustable pliers
Procedure
Step 1: Where Is The Water Line?
Start by looking for where your PVC or CPVC water line is. PVC is for cold water, while CPVC is for hot water. If you have a copper water line, get the copper tee ready. If you do not know where the water line is, try checking along the walls of your house on the sides or check the crawlspace. You could also try your luck underground.
Once you locate it, please turn off the water from the Pipe using adjustable pliers and open the faucet connected to it. This decreases the water pressure and prevents amess.
Step 2: Cut the Water Pipe
Place a bucket or rag below the Pipe. Then, use a hacksaw to cut the Pipe. The bucket will catch the water that flows out of the Pipe once it is cut. This goes a long way in preventing water wastage.
Step 3: Smoothen the Edges of the Pipe
Make the edges of the pipe smooth using sandpaper, then install a PVC or CPVC tee connector(depending on the kind of water line you have). Ensure the outlet is about ½ inch.
Using a CPVC, use a propane torch, lead-free solder, and soldering flux. A PVC pipe will require PVC cement.
Step 4: Connect Everything Together
Direct the Pipe to where you want to place the fixture, soldering with the right connectors from the tee connector. Next, terminate the Pipe using a threaded male adapter. Then, mount the adapter to a solid surface like a stake to provide support.
Step 5: Wrap It Up
Put a plumbing tape around the adapter threads, then screw it on the spigot using a threaded female connector. Once done, use an adjustable wrench to tighten it. Next, turn on the water and let it run for two to three minutes to see any leaks. If you find ant leaks, draw the connection some more.
Pro Tips
- If you install a new faucet, an anti-siphon valve is equally important.
- Take enough time to get rid of old putty or caulk from where you have removed the old faucet. This makes it easy to get a proper seal below the new faucet.
- If you have a galvanized steel water pipe, hack the Pipe then unscrew both ends from the fitting. Replace the pipes with the tee connector, a union, and three pipe nipples
How to Connect Garden Hose to Outdoor Faucet
Items Needed
- Gasket
- Faucet adapter
- Bucket
- Pliers
Procedure
Step 1: Connect the Hose to the Faucet Adapter
Start by connecting the hose that needs the faucet adapter. The faucet adapter converts one end to a male hose connector by screwing on the outdoor faucet.
Step 2: Remove the Screw on the Faucet Tip
Put a bucket right below the faucet and unscrew the tip. The bucket will catch any small pieces of debris that may fall from the faucet.
Step 3: Attach the Adapter
Fix the new faucet adapter by screwing properly and tightly on the faucet. You may need to put a hose-type vacuum breaker on the hose before attaching it to the garden hose if your water line does not have a vacuum breaker.
Step 4: Fix the Gasket
Fit the hose inside with a rubber or vinyl gasket to prevent any leakages. Remember to put the gasket in the hose before attaching it to the faucet.
Step 5: Attach the Hose to Adapter
The final step is to screw the garden hose onto the faucet adapter. Again, ensure you screw as tightly as possible to prevent water leaks.
Try your complete installation by running water to see if it leaks. Then, again, tighten a little further if you notice any leaks.
How to Re-attach the Faucet Tip
Items Needed
- Cutting tool (scissors or knife)
- Teflon tape
Procedure
You can use a garden hose for other chores aside from gardening. Moreover, leaving it outside accelerates the process of wear and tear. You need to detach the hose and faucet adapter and screw back the faucet tip. Thankfully you can DIY this procedure and save the cost of hiring a plumber. There is no special technique involved. This is how you go about the process of re-attaching the faucet tip.
First, remove the hose and the faucet adapter and screw back the faucet tip. You can do this by hand or using pliers. It is recommended that you use pliers that have rubber-protected jaws so that you do not scratch the faucet spout. Make sure to screw tightly to prevent water leakage.
Second, use Teflon tape to seal around the faucet to prevent any potential leaks. Remove the faucet’s tip and wrap the tape in a clockwise direction at least three rounds on the threaded area. Make sure the tape does not cover the place where the water exits.
Third, screw the faucet tip on the area covered with Teflon tape. Do not worry about the visible tape since it will not affect water flow. Alternatively, you can cut off any visible or hanging tapes using a pair of scissors and remove any scraps.
You can now enjoy a faucet free from leaks.
Warnings
· Avoid submerging the garden hose in water. This may siphon water back to the supply line, causing contamination. This is likely to happen if you do not have a vacuum breaker.
· Be extra careful enough to avoid a situation where water splashes around when the hose adaptor is detached from the faucet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Attach a Garden Hose to a Bathroom Faucet?
Most outdoor faucets found in hardware stores come with universal threads. The threads can be ¾ or ½ inches. If you buy the correct size, you can as well connect the garden hose to your bathroom faucet using a particular kind of adapter. However, before attaching the hose to the faucet, be sure to remove the aerator.
What is The Standard Outdoor Faucet Size?
The size of an outdoor faucet normally goes with the width of the water pipe. Most water pipes have ½ or ¾ inch diameter width; as such, the standard size of the outdoor faucet will be the same. A ¾-inch outdoor faucet has less water pressure than a 1/2 inch one.
Can You Attach a Garden Hose to a Kitchen Faucet?
You can. Using a kitchen faucet thread adapter, you can attach a garden hose to the kitchen faucet. Connecting the hose to the kitchen faucet is very convenient if you need hot or warm water for the outdoor chores.
How Do You Fix Garden Hose Leaking At Connection?
A worn-out gasket can cause water to spew out of the garden hose at the spigot connection point. You must detach the leaking end and remove the worn-out gasket to fix this. Do not discard the gasket; it will help guide you when purchasing another replacement.
Conclusion
It may seem easy, but installing a faucet can be challenging because of the faucet location and accessing the different parts. In addition, there is little room to move your elbows around, not to talk of the need to navigate through the water lines.
You do not have to tire yourself anymore with water buckets in and out of the house every time you work on your garden or lawn. Instead, simply connect your faucet to a garden hose, and you get to enjoy your gardening activities henceforth. Now that you know how to connect a garden hose to an outdoor faucet, faucet sizes, and how to remove and re-attach faucet tips, you are good to go.