Things to Consider with an Outdoor Faucet

We all need outdoor faucets. No one can survive with just indoor faucets. We all wash cars and pets and water garden plants outside. If your house isn’t built over a slab, you may be able to handle the plumbing for an outdoor faucet. You may get your outdoor water from a connection with your indoor pipes. Before you do buy a faucet for the outdoors, there are a couple of things that you need to have in mind.

Durability is King

Unlike indoor faucets, the ones that you install outdoors don’t need to be flashy. Your top priority should be finding faucets that are less stylish and more sturdily built. After all, you wouldn’t be showing off your faucet to visitors. You would need them to be able to withstand changing weather conditions and playful gnawing pets.

For those who have themed home exteriors however, there are also decorative faucets. If you really can’t live with a plain, heavy duty looking faucet, then you could settle for a brass decorative handle. These handles typically come in animal shapes but other designs are available.

Frost Should be a Consideration

An outdoor faucet should ideally have some protection against winter frost. There are various faucet designs available to protect against frost. Some have their own insulation. Others simply have a mechanism that shuts off water at the root source during winter so water doesn’t freeze on your outdoor pipe. You could also opt for a plain faucet with a free winter cover.

Check the Anti-Siphon Function

Frost should not be your only major concern. You would also want to prevent your indoor water pipes from getting contaminated. This could happen if outdoor water mixed with some dirt backtracks to your indoor pipe. You would be lucky if dirty water only gave your minor stomach upset. You and your family however could suffer from diarrhea or infections. You can prevent this from happening by buying faucets with an anti-siphon sill cock.

Temperature Control is an Option

You no longer have to wash the car or the dog in cold water. Some faucet brands that can be used outdoors now also come with temperature controls. Now you can enjoy the same cold, hot or lukewarm water that you have indoors.

Outdoor faucets may seem less stylish than their indoor counterparts. It doesn’t mean though that they are any less important. Many of your outdoor water needs can be answered only by a high quality faucet for external use.