Many a time, we come across frost-free outdoor water faucet whenever we find ourselves shopping for plumbing accessories.
We spend some time wondering whether to buy one. The answer is a big yes if you have to deal with subzero temperatures during winter.
Otherwise, ask those who had the misfortune of spending a heavy amount on repairing and replacing parts due to water freezing inside their pipes and faucet. Plus, no one wants to deal with a burst pipe.
You can easily avoid such an event by just getting one. Look at the reviews of some of the best frost free sillcocks in this article, and you'll know which one to go for to tackle the next winter.
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11 Best Frost-Free Sillcocks Reviews
We often become confused while selecting such products. To make the job easy, a list of some of the top frost-free sillcocks is given below for you to consider.
1. Homewerks VFF-ASP-C19PA Anti-Siphon Frost Free Sillcock
This product from Homewerks is just what you need to keep those annoying chunks of ice from destroying your pipes and taps. The sillcock is sure to deliver, being made of premium and pure brass, has an anti-siphon function, and with its ability to prevent water from turning into ice in freezing temperatures.
Owing to its raw material, brass, this sillcock is resistant to corrosion and rust. This 12-inch faucet is here to last for a long time. It comes with a valve that maintains its anti-siphon function, preventing any backflow of water and contamination of your water supply.
And this sillcock is also very easy to install into the plumbing system of your house with a half-inch for male pipe thread or a solder, whichever you prefer. A handle that turns a quarter of a circle for your efficiency will allow you comfort whenever you need access to tap water outdoors.
Moreover, this product comes with a certification from the uniform plumbing code (the UPC) and the American Society of sanitary engineers. With this installed, you can rest assured.
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2. SharkBite 24628LF Frost Free Sillcock
This water faucet is 8 inches in length. With a special, sturdy design, it will connect easily to any pipe. Its multiturn handle will help to protect your plumbing system from the harsh winter temperatures. While the body is made of high-quality brass, it contains a ring of stainless steel that enhances grip on the connection.
It also contains an EPDM o-ring of rubber, which makes a tight water seal, preventing water leak. The rubber ring is resistant to chloramine to prevent any damage.
In addition to keeping cold water from freezing in low temperatures, it also supplies clean water free of lead. That's a big help because- when water freezes, the volume increases - risking a pipe burst. Its anti-siphon function keeps water from flowing back to the source and thus prevents contamination of your water body.
With its unique design, you can connect the sillcock just as easy as a push. Cut the pipe with a clean cut using a pipe cutter to fit the faucet and push in. The steel ring will have a good grip, and the rubber o-ring will maintain a perfect water seal.
Moreover, this faucet has a frost free hose bib that can be joined to various types of hoses, including PE-RT, PEX, CPVC, Copper pipes, and garden hose, making the sillcock extremely useful.
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3. Midline Valve 8434P Sillcock
This outdoor spigot from the midline valve is a good frost free sillcock for any plumbing projects. Spend this winter without worry about your house plumbing. The 12-inch siphoning instrument is made with brass and given a chrome-plated finish. It is kept lead-free so that you can have safe water at hand.
With a technology that prevents the water from mixing back with your water source, it provides fresh water with each turn. Connect this unique sillcock with your water supply via the half-inch PEX connector and enjoy clean water from your hose through the built-in hose bibb.
Turning on the water spigot is no longer trouble with its plastic handle that turns easily. Rotate it in either direction to have full control over the flow of water. This lets you use as much as you need while also you can turn it off at intervals to reduce wastage.
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A pressure of about 150 WOG can be easily handled by this high-quality faucet, which is not bad for this budget friendly unit.
What relieves us is the fact that this product has been recognized by the Uniform Plumbing Code, which is developed by the American officials to regulate plumbing installations for a healthy population and the environment.
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4. PROLINE 104-823HC 6" WALL HYDRANT
This sillcock is 10 inches in length from the male hose thread to the hose connector. With all its features, it is a frost-free, safe spigot that is suitable for all seasons. As we know, it is the body length that determines whether an outside spigot is frost-free or not. This one has a good 10 inch to keep the water out of the cold.
A quarter-turn valve that rotates without a hassle will keep your operations as easy for you as possible. It also has a good draining facility to drain the remaining water in the pipe once it is turned off. This further helps to keep it frost-free.
The sillcock also features an integral vacuum breaker inside the tube to prevent water from rushing in from the pipe and contaminating your whole water storage. Be sure to get fresh water with every use of this sillcock. Its sturdy build allows it to be suitable for commercial buildings just as well as it is suitable and safe for individual homes.
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5. B & K/MUELLER INDS 104-517 10" Anti-Siphon Frost Free Sillcock
This is another great option for a frost-free sillcock brought to us by the Homewerks. Made with brass along with a silver coating, this faucet is able to withstand the harsh winter conditions.
It has a good body length that allows it to function as a frost-free faucet quite well. This keeps the water far enough from the outside temperatures to keep it from freezing. Moreover, it will drain any water remaining in the pipe once it is turned off. No water in the pipe means no ice.
And its anti-siphoning feature allows you access to clean water every time you turn it on. The vacuum breaker inside the pipe prevents the backflow of water and, consequently, any future cases of contamination.
Another great feature is the knob that comes with it. You can flow water through the water line with control, thanks to its easy and smooth turning. This pipe is given a notched flange design, which enables it for a quick and easy connection. A 3/4th of an inch spigot marks the site of a male hose thread that is compatible with various types of hoses.
To top it all off, the piece is certified by the UPC and ASSE as it meets all the standards set by these societies.
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6. American Valve M72AS 4" Freeze-Proof Anti-siphon Sillcock
This one is quite a decent sillcock for a short pipe length. It serves its purpose well throughout the long period that it lasts. Being shorter than other frost-free sillcocks, this one shows no hindrance in its duty. The 4-inch pipe keeps the water inside the wall to prevent its exposure to harsh temperatures.
It will drain itself automatically when shut off so that no water remains inside it to freeze. With a good build, it protects your plumbing system for a long time.
Although you can't drink from it directly, it does provide you with water suitable for other purposes such as watering your lawn or washing your car, thanks to its anti-siphon technology.
And it also comes with dual inlet, MIP threaded, and half an inch for soldering. Connect this sillcock easily to your plumbing with the PEX adapter that comes with it. You will also be relieved to know that the product with these good features comes with approval from the official bodies.
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7. B & K 104-827HC 10" WALL HYDRANT
The B and K 104-827HC freeze proof sillcock is as reliable as it can get to remain functional during winter. It comes with multiple certifications from all the concerned bodies like the UPC, ASSE, and IAMPO.
In addition to being a pro with anti-freeze property during winter, it comes with a full brass body and a chrome-plated finish to make sure that it lasts a long time. Having a design of ceramic cartridge adds to the durability of the product.
Notched flange design enables easy mounting, and with a half-inch soldering end and the MIP adapter, the sillcock can be conveniently connected to the plumbing system of your house. The 10-inch tube ensures that the water remains a good distance away from external temperatures.
Moreover, it will also drain automatically when turned off and get rid of all the water that has been pumped. This will make sure that the pipe itself doesn't freeze during winter.
A one-way direction of the water is efficiently maintained by the cleverly engineered vacuum breaker so that the main water source remains free of any contamination.
Work effortlessly and control water flow easily with the easy turning handle, which is a quarter turn for added pleasure. The handle is also grooved so you can have a better grip while turning, which otherwise is a problem when you have wet hands. However, if you don't carry out frequent maintenance, the handle may become stiff.
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8. Midline Valve 8428 Sillcock
This frost-free water faucet, with a combination of brass body and chrome-plated finish, is definitely worth considering. With premium construction, this product is durable and can withstand the extreme cold that winter brings. Moreover, the product contains no lead, so you can avoid its harmful effects.
It is 8 inches in length, which can keep the water away from the cold by a good distance, ensuring that the water doesn't change its state.
The half-inch MIP connector and soldering gives you a good and an easy fix with your water supply. Once fixed, you can connect any hose via the male hose thread, which is about 3/4th of an inch in diameter.
And it also features a large, multi-turn handle, which you can turn quite comfortably in any direction to have full control over the flow of water. With grooves on the handle, you can have a good grip, which adds to the comfort.
Also, the product meets the NSF standards and is thus certified by the Uniform Plumbing Code as a lead-free product. Being able to withstand pressures of 150 WOG (water, oil, gas), this frost-free sillcock by Midline Valve goes a long way.
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9. Prier P-164D06 Quarter-Turn Frost Free Anti-Siphon Outdoor Hydrant
This unique sillcock stands out from the variety of options offered by Prier due to its various advantages. While most sillcocks are made with brass for durability, this one is made with a combination of heavy cast brass, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel.
And this combination allows the faucet to survive harsh weather conditions, including cold weather, efficiently and accompany you for years to come.
The manufacturer provided the faucet with ACME thread to secure both ends of the stem to reduce noise when it is used and avoid any problem with seating despite having a length shorter than other options.
Having both ends secured also means a tight water seal that will ensure a leak free experience. This is bound to show in your water bill next term.
It goes the extra mile when it is featured with anti-siphon technology to prevent the backflow of water. The quarter-turn handle smoothly does its job while giving you a good grip with wet hands.
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10. ¼-Turn Ball Valve Frost Proof Sillcock
The sillcock manufactured by Quarter Ball is given a new, contemporary design to meet the needs of the current century. It contains a ball valve instead of compressors, ceramic discs, or even an o-ring to prevent water flow to the connected hose end during winter.
A built-in self-draining mechanism allows the faucet to perform its anti-freeze function with excellence.
It is also built to maintain a one-way flow of water to prevent any foreign element mixing with your main water source while effectively draining the water that has already been pumped.
This model effectively uses the combination of the turn ball valve and the comfortable quarter-turn handle to give you an uninterrupted 290000 on and off cycles. The company has tested to prove the claim.
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11. Legend 108-155 T-550 Quarter Turn 12" Anti-Siphon Frost Free Sillcock
This 12" sillcock from Legend valve is one of the high-end sillcocks that are available in the market, and that is so for the right reasons. Having an adequate length of 12", the sillcock is suitable to fit the buildings with thick walls, as well as contribute to remain frost-free.
A large and angled flange improves the function with a facilitated self-draining feature. The heavy-duty brass and a shiny chrome finish ensure its long-serving period through the harsh weather.
Moreover, it is also given an integrated vacuum breaker, which ensures that there is no backflow of the pumped water. This ensures that your main water source is free of any contamination from the hose. Although you can't control the water flow with the quarter-turn handle, it is given an ergonomic design to enable ease of use.
If you are concerned about your health, then it is worth mentioning the certificates it carries from 3 concerned official bodies. So you can rest assured with this one.
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How to Choose the Best One
If you have gone through all the reviews, you have a general idea about what features the best frost-proof sillcocks possess.
However, what works for others may not work for your plumbing tools. Here is a discussion about how to get the one that is suitable for you.
Freeze-Proof Sillcock
Nowadays, it is a basic requirement set by almost all local plumbing codes to install a frost-free sillcock for an outdoor faucet if you do plan to get one at all. Plus, it's pretty easy to install a frost free sillcock.
More often than not, users tend to forget to shut off the valve and discover a frozen faucet or a burst (like blood clots), leaking pipe the next morning. We all have to pay a heavy price for those outdoor faucets.
To avoid the problem of frozen or burst frost free hose bibs, get the one with a self-draining mechanism. It is important that the hose end of the shut off valve remains open so that it can drain itself of all the excess water. A high-quality seat valve and stem washer combo also helps.
Anti Siphon Function
With our main focus on the health of the population, it is important for the outdoor hose bib to have anti-siphon function, also termed as vacuum breaker by some. See if you can add an anti siphon vacuum breaker to your existing sillcock for outdoor water supply if it doesn't have it.
Waterborne diseases can be reduced significantly by keeping the contaminated water in the pipe away from the main water source.
Reasonable Length
As you have seen above, sillcocks of various lengths, ranging from 4 inches to 12 inches, are available in the market. The length is essential when it comes to the sillcock being frost-free. A large plastic valve offers ease of operation in most cases.
It will keep the water at a safe distance from the external conditions and into the heated region of the building.
The length of the sillcock will also need to accommodate the wall thickness in order to work. While a 4-inch sillcock will work in a building with thin walls, it is not suitable for thick-walled buildings.
You will have to check the distance the sillcock will have to cover from outside to inside. Then choose the sillcock of appropriate size and durable design.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below are the most commonly asked queries regarding the best frost-free sillcocks:
1. What is the cut off temperature for a frost-free sillcock?
Although frost-free sillcocks are built to withstand winter conditions and temperature falls, they are not absolute in this regard. They do have a breaking point regarding extreme temperature fluctuations.
Some sillcocks can last through extreme cold, while others can get damaged at a higher temperature. It is a safe practice to try and keep it above 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Should I go for a quarter-turn handle or a multi-turn handle?
This depends solely on your preference. Multi-turn handles do provide the added advantage of having the water flow within your control, while a quarter-turn handle will only work to turn the tap on or off.
However, it is a struggle when it comes to turning the tap off with a multi-turn handle. You can go for either one depending on how you plan to use it.
3. How to identify a frost-free sillcock?
You can easily identify a frost-free sillcock by looking at the knob. It will be placed at a 90-degree angle to the building. If it is at an acute angle, then the chances are that it is not frost-free.
4. Can the water from these faucets be used for drinking?
It is best to get your drinking water from an indoor faucet as they are typically designed for that function. However, if you do want a drink from the outdoor faucet, make sure that it is lead-free and is certified by the concerned bodies for that purpose when you buy. If you can't be sure, it is best to stay away.
5. Will the plastic handle break easily?
The faucets are made to be durable, and the handles are made with high-quality plastic, and some are even rubberized to ensure grip.
Final Words
You can now choose the best sillcock for yourself as you’ve learned about some of the best frost-free sillcocks out there and what qualities to look for while buying one.
Get your own frost-free sillcock before its too late if you don't want to end up paying a high water bill or expensive replacements.
