An outdoor spigot that drips after you shut it off, sprays from under the handle when it’s running, or leaves a wet patch on the siding is one of the cheaper plumbing problems to fix as long as it stays outside. The one that matters is water showing up inside a wall or basement behind the spigot. That means the pipe split, and homeowners in Columbus should shut off the interior valve before doing anything else.
Where the water comes from tells you the part. A leak under the handle while running is usually the packing nut or its washer, often just a quarter turn with pliers. A drip from the spout with the handle closed means the stem washer or valve seat is worn. Water spraying from the small brass cap on top is the vacuum breaker, a code-required backflow device that costs $60 to $100 to replace. Cracks in the body itself mean replacement.
Repair usually beats replacement when the body is sound: a washer or stem swap runs $80 to $140. A full hose bib replacement costs $150 to $350, and upgrading to a frost-free or anti-siphon model runs $200 to $450 installed. Homes in Columbus with older galvanized supply lines pay more, since corroded threads often force the plumber to cut the line back. Access matters too: a spigot on a finished wall with no basement below can add $100 to $300.
Below you’ll find licensed plumbers in Columbus handling hose bib repair and replacement, frost-free sillcock upgrades, vacuum breaker installation, and interior shut-off valves. Most swaps take under an hour. Compare licensing, reviews, and rates, and ask about adding a dedicated interior shut-off while they’re there; it makes every future repair and winterization simpler.
The leak location identifies the part. Water escaping under the handle only when the spigot is on points to a loose packing nut or worn packing washer. A drip from the spout with the handle closed means the stem washer or valve seat has worn out. Spray from the brass cap on top is a failed vacuum breaker. Water appearing inside the wall means the pipe cracked, usually from freezing. Plumbers can identify the source in minutes.
A washer or stem replacement on a leaking spigot runs $80 to $140. Replacing a worn vacuum breaker is $60 to $100. A full hose bib swap costs $150 to $350 installed, with the bib itself only $10 to $40; labor is nearly all of it. Frost-free and anti-siphon models run $200 to $450 installed. Prices fall within these ranges, and older galvanized supply lines push the swap toward $180 to $340. Most plumbers bill a one-hour minimum.
Often yes. A leak under the handle usually stops with a quarter turn on the packing nut using pliers. Replacing the stem washer means shutting off the interior supply, unscrewing the packing nut, pulling the stem, and swapping a part that costs a few dollars. Vacuum breakers hand-loosen and thread on. Call a plumber if the bib body is cracked, threads are corroded, the interior valve won’t close, or water shows up inside the wall or basement.
Repair when the body is solid and only a washer, O-ring, packing nut, or vacuum breaker has worn out. Replace when the body is cracked or split, the threads are stripped, or the valve seat is too corroded to seal against a new washer. Freeze damage almost always means replacement. Hose bibs last around 20 years; plastic units maybe 10, quality brass 30 or more. A plumber can tell you which one applies during a short service visit.
A frost-free bib, or sillcock, has a stem 8 to 14 inches long that moves the shutoff valve deep inside the heated wall, so water drains out of the exposed section when you close it. In cold climates, that prevents the split-pipe failures that cause most winter spigot damage. The upgrade adds only $30 to $75 in parts. Stem length must match wall thickness; a 4- to 5-inch wall needs an 8-inch stem. Plumbers will measure before ordering.
A straightforward swap on a rim joist with clear basement access takes 30 to 45 minutes, and some plumbers do it in under 20. The same spigot on a finished wall with no access below can take several hours because drywall has to come off and go back. Older galvanized lines add time when threads seize. Most plumbers bill a one-hour minimum, so bundle other small work into the same visit to spread the trip charge.
Disconnect and drain garden hoses before the first freeze. A hose left attached traps water in the bib, even on a frost-free model. Close the interior shutoff valve if you have one and open the spigot to drain the line. Add a foam faucet cover on exposed bibs. In cold climates, upgrading to a frost-free sillcock is cheap insurance against a $200 to $800 burst repair. Plumbers handle winterization visits ahead of the season if you’d rather not.
Search your nearby area for the service man
Search your nearby area for the service man
Search your nearby area for the service man
Joel and his team went above and beyond to make sure they helped us fix the gas leak. Joel is a man of his word and came through on his promise.
Very expensive. Make sure you establish the price up front. They did some work on gas pipes, which was specialized so the prices weren't so horrible.
They did a good job and came quickly. Installed a bidet in my toilet. Shout out to Casey for the quality work.
Scheduled service for a clogged toilet and never showed. No call, all messages unanswered
If its an easy fit sure they maybe great but if its something different then quoted they are going to charge you either way a hefty price.
They never called my property manager, or myself, to ask if they could do an additional estimate while at my property. I was shocked. Companies cannot go around doing estimates.
Mike showed up in an hour to shut off a spigot that I could not shut off. Always great friendly service at a reasonable price!!!
Joel and his team went above and beyond to make sure they helped us fix the gas leak. Joel is a man of his word and came through on his promise.
Very expensive. Make sure you establish the price up front. They did some work on gas pipes, which was specialized so the prices weren't so horrible.
They did a good job and came quickly. Installed a bidet in my toilet. Shout out to Casey for the quality work.
Scheduled service for a clogged toilet and never showed. No call, all messages unanswered
If its an easy fit sure they maybe great but if its something different then quoted they are going to charge you either way a hefty price.
They never called my property manager, or myself, to ask if they could do an additional estimate while at my property. I was shocked. Companies cannot go around doing estimates.
Mike showed up in an hour to shut off a spigot that I could not shut off. Always great friendly service at a reasonable price!!!
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