What Is A Hose Bib Shut Off Valve

Hose bibs are also called outdoor faucets, and you can see them on lawns. 

These are a type of valve attached to a garden hose and are used during summer to keep your garden blooming by constantly supplying water to the plants. But you might ask - what is a hose bib shut-off valve, and how does it work? 

So today, I’ll discuss the shut-off valves of a hose bib and why they're important. 

Anatomy Of A Hose Bib

Before talking about an indoor hose bib shut-off valve, it’s essential to know the anatomy of this small outdoor faucet. The most common outdoor valve found in hose bibs is the compression type valve, where you rotate the handle to screw the spindle into its seat. In that way, you can seal the hose bib opening and stop the water from flowing. 

These compression valves are quite effective, but they eventually degrade. They come with two washers - a packing washer and a stem washer. If you notice water dripping from the hose bib handle, you can simply use a crescent wrench to tighten the packing washer to stop the leakage. 

However, if the entire fixture starts leaking even after turning it off, it’s time to call in a professional and change the stem washer. Always hire a professional plumber to fix your hose bib because it requires delicate craftsmanship. 

What Is An Indoor Hose Bib Shut-Off Valve?

Any outdoor faucet must have an indoor valve to control the flow of water to the faucet opening. You’ll usually find the indoor valves of a hose bib under the kitchen or bathroom sink that are backed into the floor or wall. 

You can turn off this indoor valve to stop the supply of water to your hose bib. Say your hose bib is leaking, but you can’t determine the cause; it’s best to turn off the indoor valve to cut the main water supply to the outdoor faucet. 

On the other hand, if you want to use the hose bib and can’t get the water running through it, try to locate the indoor valve and turn it on. In that way, you can get the water flowing through the hose bib again. So, the indoor valve essentially controls water flow from your main residential water system to the faucet. 

Why Should A Hose Bib Have An Indoor Shut-Off Valve?

Outdoor faucets face the wrath of a harsh winter, and that’s why you need an indoor shut-off valve to protect them during the cold winter months. As hose bibs have to withstand the freezing winter temperatures, they might burst if there’s water inside them. 

But with an indoor valve, winterizing the hose bib becomes so much easier compared to an outdoor faucet that doesn’t have an indoor valve. You can simply shut off the valve to prevent water from flowing into the faucet during winter. 

How To Winterize A Hose Bib Using An Indoor Valve?

Now that you know how an indoor valve works, it’s time to learn about winterizing your hose bib. The primary reason behind winterizing the hose bib is to ensure it doesn’t contain any water to prevent it from bursting during winter. 

First and foremost, you must remove the garden hose from the outdoor faucet to winterize it. Next, locate the indoor valve under your sink and turn it off to stop the water flow from your main water supply. 

Then, turn on the outdoor valve by twisting the outdoor faucet handle to remove all the water from the faucet. You won’t have to worry about the faucet bursting when the faucet is completely empty, even if the temperature drops below freezing point. Once the water stops flowing, turn off the faucet handle and let it ride out the winter without any damage. 

Final Thoughts

I have come to the end of my informative guide on hose bib shut-off valves and how they work. After going through my article I hope you know that even though an outdoor faucet must have an indoor valve, not all hose bibs have it. 

But, without an indoor valve, winterizing the faucet can become a bit tricky. So, I suggest always installing an indoor valve to keep your hose bib from bursting during winter. 

On that note, I’ll sign off and see you next time!