An outdoor faucet (hose bib or sillcock) that drips from the spout or leaks from the handle wastes water and can cause damage to your foundation and siding. The repair depends on whether you have a standard hose bib or a frost-free model.

How to Fix a Leaking Outdoor Faucet

Identify Your Faucet Type

Standard hose bib: A short faucet that mounts through the exterior wall. The valve mechanism is right at the faucet body. These are common in warm climates.

Frost-free sillcock: A long faucet (8 to 12 inches) where the actual valve is located deep inside the wall, in the heated space. The long stem keeps the valve away from freezing temperatures. Common in cold climates. You can identify one by its length — the body extends far into the wall.

Fixing a Dripping Standard Hose Bib

A drip from the spout means the valve seat washer is worn.

Turn off the water supply to the outdoor faucet (usually a dedicated shut-off valve inside the house)
Open the outdoor faucet to drain remaining water
Remove the packing nut (the large nut behind the handle) with an adjustable wrench
Pull the stem assembly straight out
At the end of the stem, a rubber washer is held by a brass screw. Remove and replace the washer with an exact-size match
If the valve seat (the brass ring inside the faucet body) is pitted, it will damage the new washer. Use an inexpensive seat grinding tool to smooth it, or replace the seat if it is removable
Reassemble, restore water, and test

Fixing a Leak from the Handle

A leak from around the handle or packing nut means the packing is worn.

Tighten the packing nut slightly (1/8 turn) — this may stop the leak by compressing the packing tighter
If tightening does not work, turn off the water supply
Remove the packing nut
Replace the packing — either a rubber O-ring or graphite packing string wound around the stem
Reassemble and test

Fixing a Frost-Free Sillcock

Frost-free faucets have a long stem with the washer at the far end, inside the wall. The repair process is the same as a standard hose bib, but the stem is much longer.

Turn off the interior shut-off valve for the faucet
Remove the handle and packing nut
Pull the long stem out through the faucet body (it may be 8 to 12 inches long)
Replace the washer at the end of the stem
Replace the O-rings along the stem
Reassemble and test from inside and outside

If a frost-free faucet leaks after being turned off and the handle is fully closed, the stem washer or seat is the problem. If it leaks when the hose is removed but not when the hose is connected, check the vacuum breaker (anti-siphon device) on top of the faucet. Replace it if cracked ($3 part).

Winterizing Outdoor Faucets

For standard hose bibs in freezing climates:

Disconnect all hoses in fall (a connected hose traps water and causes pipe bursts)
Turn off the interior shut-off valve
Open the outdoor faucet to drain remaining water
Install an insulated faucet cover ($3 to $5 at hardware stores)

Frost-free faucets are designed to drain automatically when shut off, but only if the hose is disconnected. A connected hose prevents drainage and leads to frozen, burst pipes.

When to Replace

Replace the outdoor faucet if:

The faucet body is cracked (especially from freeze damage)
The valve seat cannot be repaired
You want to upgrade from a standard hose bib to a frost-free model
The faucet is severely corroded

Replacement requires soldering or using push-fit connectors on the supply pipe inside the wall. If you are not comfortable with pipe connections, a plumber can replace an outdoor faucet in under an hour.

Outdoor faucet repairs use the same basic skills as indoor faucet repairs — the parts are just larger and easier to access.