# WHY is my "frost free" outside barn water spigot



## Sanny (Dec 2, 2005)

It is the standard barn spigot with the heavy duty red on/off handle that everyone has.

Just went out to fill the water tank and it seems to be frozen solid. The one inside the barn works fine and I ran a hose out to fill the water tank but I have to deal with it asap. Last year we had the whole thing replaced in December and didn't have any trouble with it freezing at all and January and February were our coldest months. If I have to, I can call the well company to come out and thaw it out however they do it, but if anyone has a way I can do it myself tomorrow and save the money I will.

I'm SO frustrated it isn't even that cold (for Minnesota anyway) it is about 6 degrees out - no wind chill or anything. I maybe could see if it was 40 below but it isn't.


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## Getitia (Dec 2, 2005)

Did someone have a hose hooked to it? If so it will freeze up as the hose prevents the spigot from draining.

Also, at the bottom of the spigot, it should have a drain. Normally when the spigot is installed, gravel is put around the drain to allow the water to drain away quickly, if for some reason that drain is clogged or if the handle was not put all the way down, it will freeze.

If it is frozen up top, we have used a blow dryer to dethaw the upper section before - this is safer, but slower, than the blow torch which can damage the spigot if not used carefully. If you have a clog at the bottom that is not allowing your spigot to drain, about the only thing you can do, is dig it up to correct the drain problem. Can you tell that we have dealt with many frozen pipes in the past?






Good luck - it is so frustrating to have your water spigot freeze on a cold night.


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## Farmhand (Dec 2, 2005)

It's a little late now, but I put a couple bales of straw around each hydrant in the winter. Helps keep the ground from freezing. Once they're froze it takes a while to thaw out. Have you had a lot of rain lately?


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## slv (Dec 2, 2005)

Farmhand said:


> It's a little late now, but I put a couple bales of straw around each hydrant in the winter. Helps keep the ground from freezing. Once they're froze it takes a while to thaw out. Have you had a lot of rain lately?
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Mine froze once because it wasn't draining properly. You can buy a heat tape at the local hardware store that is made just for spickets. Also I agree - do not leave your hose hooked up.


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## Margo_C-T (Dec 2, 2005)

Sanny-

Did you by any chance leave a hose connected to the faucet? I found out the hard way, years ago, that the 'standpipe' cannot drain if you leave a hose attached-and that, of course, is what makes it 'freezeproof'-the fact that there's no water in the standpipe-and that it is buried far enough underground! Or-was the faucet firmly turned OFF? Sometimes the water flow will cease, but on close inspection, you will find that the handle isn't firmly seated in the full "off" position-this would allow water to remain in the standpipe, also. How deep is your bury?

I have 8 of the things here! They are all a 3 ft. bury(if your temps get to -40(!), I imagine yours are even deeper - a 4 or even 5' bury!! However, if they weren't buried deep enough for your coldest anticipated temps, this could also account for a freeze-up...though freeze-ups for that reason usually only occur after a prolonged period of really cold temps, as the freezing occurs deeper and deeper into the soil-and it seems a bit early in the winter season for that...? ( I have had to dig up(my own self, to save money)two and have them repaired in the past couple of years-but then, they were around 20 years old!) The only other thing I can think of is that something has gone wrong in the inner mechanism of the faucet, so that it isn't draining when shut off, that would cause it to freeze up.

Hope you figure it out, and the 'fix' is simple...there is NOTHING worse than having problems getting water during winter weather! Best wishes!


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## zacharyfarms (Dec 2, 2005)

YUP, a hose left on will do it everytime.. I know we just replaced the spigot on ours.


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## Sanny (Dec 2, 2005)

Fortunately I didn't leave the hose on it, but I suspect I might have been in a hurry and didn't shut it off tightly enough and I think it is frozen up top. I couldn't lift the handle at all and I had a thin ICICLE (big clue) hanging out of the spigot. GRRR.

I wasn't dressed warmly enough and it is pitch black out so all I did for the night is cover the top and wrap a heat tape around the pipe and plug it in. I figured at least that way it won't get worse overnight. Tomorrow I will take the blow dryer out and work on the top. I wish I had a blow torch, but then again, in my hands it might be a hazard and make things worse.


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## Jean_B (Dec 2, 2005)

Hey, you could always move to Arkansas



! You have no idea how much lower my electric bills are since moving here!!








But the hair dryer is a good start, but a blow torch might be better. And then bales around the area plus keeping the heat tape on there full time. And maybe build an insulated box/cover with a hinge on it to open it up when you need to use it?? That's what I did at my old place. Heck....I had a heat tape, plus a 100 watt light bulb inside the insulated box that I then covered with 3 HEAVY blankets!!


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## shminifancier (Dec 2, 2005)

I bet I know what happened~! You were in a hurry, you already said that.. You Pushed the Handle down and the water shut off, BUT I just bet you did not Push the handle FAR enough off to let the water drain back~! I can just see the handle about 1 to 2 inches from the end~! Yes the water was shut off BUT the handle has to go further to Open the Valve at the bottom of the pipe to let the water drain back below ground level which maybe 36 inches at least that far below the frost level~! I bet cha.. I hope you can get it thawed out because IF THAT did happen the frozen water is all the way to ground level and maybe some what lower.. Good luck....


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## Farmhand (Dec 2, 2005)

shminifancier said:


> I bet I know what happened~!Â  You were in a hurry, you already said that..Â  You Pushed the Handel down and the water shut off, BUT I just bet you did not Push the handle FAR enough off to let the water drain back~!Â  I can just see the handle about 1 to 2 inches from the end~!Â  Yes the water was shut off BUT the handle has to go further to Open the Valve at the bottom of the pip[e to let the water drain back before ground~!Â  I bet bet cha..Â  I hope you can get it thawed out because IF THAT did happen the frozen water is all the way to ground level and maybe some what lower..Â  Good luck....
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Just make sure if you moved the handle, that the screw that we talked about is in the correct spot and not moved.


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## shminifancier (Dec 2, 2005)

Farmhand said:


> shminifancier said:
> 
> 
> > I bet I know what happened~!Â  You were in a hurry, you already said that..Â  You Pushed the Handle down and the water shut off, BUT I just bet you did not Push the handle FAR enough off to let the water drain back~!Â  I can just see the handle about 1 to 2 inches from the end~!Â  Yes the water was shut off BUT the handle has to go further to Open the Valve at the bottom of the pipe to let the water drain back below ground level at least 36 inches  or below frost level anyway~!Â  I bet cha..Â  I hope you can get it thawed out because IF THAT did happen the frozen water is all the way to ground level and maybe some what lower..Â  Good luck....
> ...


Ah good thinking~!


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## Becky (Dec 2, 2005)

There's only two reasons those freeze up. Either the drain hole at the bottom is clogged and won't let the water drain out or the faucet is leaking.

I have one here that has a slow drip. I had the plumbers out a couple of weeks ago to fix it, but apparantly they didn't as it's had an icicle hanging out of it and the faucet has been frozen.


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## Charlotte (Dec 2, 2005)

Whatever you do, DON'T force the handle! If it doesn't want to lift as easy as usual, leave it alone! I learned the hard way.........in northern IL when it was 20 below. Made an ice skating rink out of my barn before I could get the water shut off at the main.



(and of course Frank was out of town for a week



)

Charlotte


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## Miniv (Dec 2, 2005)

Sanny said:


> Fortunately I didn't leave the hose on it, but I suspect I might have been in a hurry and didn't shut it off tightly enough and I think it is frozen up top. I couldn't lift the handle at all and I had a thin ICICLE (big clue) hanging out of the spigot. GRRR.
> I wasn't dressed warmly enough and it is pitch black out so all I did for the night is cover the top and wrap a heat tape around the pipe and plug it in. I figured at least that way it won't get worse overnight. Tomorrow I will take the blow dryer out and work on the top. I wish I had a blow torch, but then again, in my hands it might be a hazard and make things worse.
> 
> 
> ...



You took the words right out of my mouth.....I was going to ask if you had flipped the handle all the way down last time you used it......

Hubby here suggests that you run a hair dryer on the pipe before you do anything drastic. (HE would go as far as using a propane torch, but I'd try the hair dryer first.)

MA


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## backwoodsnanny (Dec 2, 2005)

One more thing that could be happening that happens to ours about this time of year now that it is a couple of years old. Right around the piston where the handle pulls it up and down is a little gasket made of rubber. If it is a few years old that rubber gasket gets a little worn allowing just a small amount of water to gather on the top side of the gasket if that happens it will freeze and if it is cold enough it will freeze hard enough that you will not be able to lift the handle. If it is this the hair dryer or even a pan with hot water will thaw it enough that you can start to work the handle. The rest of the water in the stand pipe will drain back but the leak at the top will freeze the gasket and not allow the handle to move. Once it gets below freezing I take a pan of warm water every time I go to the barn just in case. Dont try to move the handle if it is stuck and this will ruin your pump. Use the hot water and let it work on the gasket then gently try to lever the handle up it should break a little shell of ice around the top of the gasket if this is the problem. Good Luck!!! This is one of many reasons I posted a few months ago about what everyone does to make winter work easier. Everyone responded then that this isnt work but a labor of love well maybe but when I walk to the barn and forget my pan of water and have to trek all the way back to the house cause the water is frozen that's work in my book.


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## Ashley (Dec 2, 2005)

Dont know we havent ever had this happen.

But can picture Sanny out there with a torch. That should scare that poor kid out of ya. Sure would like to see you trying to do that one.


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## Marty (Dec 2, 2005)

You may have a leak in the lines.


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## AJ (Dec 2, 2005)

While on this subject I will add another way these can freeze and my solution. (this will not be the problem of the post-too early in the year)

By late winter frost in our area can go down 4 to 6 feet. The spring was very wet and the water table came above the frost line. Since water will only recede to the water table level, the water froze because the ground was frozen. Solution - dug down about 3 feet and put 8" of styrofoam 4'x4' around the pipe. This prevents the frost from going deeper by the pipe and prevent freezing if water table comes up.


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## Jill (Dec 3, 2005)

I was going to say the hose thing, too. We just got frost free spigots in the spring at each paddock. I was like a goober out there grinning and re-watering the horses every time you turned around. Weeeee!!! But, I too, left a hose on one of them and last weekend was stomping around out there about the cr_ppy spigot wasn't frost free after all. Now, at least, I know to disconnect the hoses.


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## justaboutgeese (Dec 3, 2005)

If its not that cold out a bucket full of warm or hot water might just thaw it out for you. If the groung is not frozen to deeply yet it will not be frozen very far below ground level. Its worth a try before calling in people with hefty service charges.


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## tracerace (Dec 3, 2005)

I have done this at least once every winter




. So I keep a heat light handy and then I just clamp it on and point it at the faucet (as close as possible). I use the heat lamp so I don't have to stand out there in the cold with my hair dryer...



. It works like a charm.


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## Sanny (Dec 3, 2005)

YAY!

Just thought I'd update you all. Last night we went back out and wrapped heat tape around and around the pipe starting at the base/ground level all the way to the top with about a 1 inch space between each wrap around the pipe (I only had one and had to make it work for the whole length), plugged that in and put a bucket upside down over the spigot. When I went out this morning it was unfrozen and working.

I've got a feeling something needs to be adjusted though, because when it is shut off tight the water still drips for a bit. I'm leaving the heat tape plugged in until I know I've got it resolved.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions!! I got PM's and even a phone call this morning.

I hurt my husbands feelings because I posted on the forum for help before I even told him what had happened (he read it on the forum before he heard it from me - oops!)

But thanks to you all, we got some great advice that saved us a lot of time, trouble and money.


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## RobinRTrueJoy (Dec 3, 2005)

I find that even on the coldest days, it will defrost enough by 3 pm to run the water and fill the trough. The sun warms it just enough to use it again.


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