What Is a Frost-Free Spigot?

An outdoor faucet (also called a frost-free sillcock or hose bib) with a long stem, so the valve seat sits 6 to 12 inches inside the heated wall while the handle and spout stay outside. The barrel between them slopes down to the spout, so when the valve closes the remaining water drains out and nothing is left to freeze. It fails for one reason: a hose, splitter, or timer left on the threads holds water in the barrel, which freezes and splits the pipe inside the wall.

You can tell one from a plain hose bib by the length of the stem. A frost-free unit has a long tube running through the wall, and the handle turns several times before water starts because the valve is far inside. Winterizing one is just removing the hose and letting it drip dry, with a foam cover as cheap insurance. Replacing a plain hose bib with a frost-free model is a $25 to $40 part and a $150 to $300 plumber visit in most US markets.