Outside Faucet Repair in Burleson, TX | DIY Steps & When to Call

An outdoor faucet that drips when you walk away from it, or one that pours water out of the wall when you connect a hose — those are two of the most common plumbing calls we get every spring in Burleson and South DFW. Outside faucets are simple, but they take a beating from sun, freeze cycles, hose pressure, and time.

The good news: if you’re reasonably handy, a leaky outdoor faucet is often a 30-minute DIY fix. The bad news: if you have the wrong symptoms, that same faucet can dump water into your wall every time you turn it on — and you won’t even see it until the drywall is wet.

Here’s everything I tell homeowners about outside faucet repair — what’s wrong, how to fix it yourself if you can, and when to put down the wrench and call.

What’s a Frost-Proof Sillcock? (And Do You Have One?)

Almost every home built in DFW after the mid-1990s has a frost-proof sillcock — also called a “freezeless faucet” or “anti-siphon hose bib.” It looks like any other outdoor faucet from the outside, but it’s actually 6–12 inches longer than it appears. The valve that shuts off the water sits inside your wall, behind the insulation, instead of right at the handle.

That design protects against burst pipes when the temperature drops below freezing. Water in the exposed pipe just outside drains out when the faucet is closed, leaving nothing in the line for ice to expand.

Older homes (1980s and before) often have standard “compression” outdoor faucets where the shutoff is right at the handle. Those freeze easier and leak more often. Knowing which you have changes how you fix it.

Why Outdoor Faucets Leak

A few common causes:

Worn washer or o-ring — the simplest, most common cause of drips when the faucet is shut off. DIY-friendly.
Cracked stem or packing — water leaks around the handle when you turn it on. Often DIY-friendly.
Broken pipe inside the wall — water pours out around the faucet base or you see water stains on interior walls. NOT DIY-friendly.
Freeze damage — pipe cracked during a Texas cold snap. Often hidden behind the wall.
Loose connections to PVC or copper supply lines — usually requires opening the wall.

If your faucet drips when shut off, that’s almost always the washer. If your faucet works fine but water leaks out around the base or you see staining inside the house, that’s a bigger problem.

DIY Repair — Frost-Proof Sillcock Washer Replacement

Tools you’ll need:

Adjustable wrench or socket wrench
Phillips screwdriver
New washer kit (~$5 at any hardware store — try to match your faucet brand if possible)
Pliers (sometimes)

Steps:

Turn off the water supply to the outdoor faucet. There’s often a dedicated shutoff inside the house — basement, crawlspace, or near the water heater. If you can’t find one, shut off the main water at the meter.
Open the outdoor faucet to relieve pressure and drain any remaining water. Leave it open while you work.
Remove the handle. Usually one screw in the center. Save the screw.
Loosen the packing nut behind the handle with an adjustable wrench. Turn counterclockwise. The packing nut is what seals around the stem.
Pull out the stem. Once the packing nut is off, grip the stem and twist counterclockwise. On a frost-proof sillcock, the stem can be 8–12 inches long — pull it all the way out.
Inspect and replace the washer. At the end of the stem you’ll find a flat rubber washer (sometimes called a “bonnet” or “seat” washer) held by a small brass screw. Swap it for the new one.
Replace any o-rings along the stem if your faucet uses them.
Re-assemble in reverse order. Thread the stem back in, tighten the packing nut snug (don’t overtighten), reinstall the handle, and tighten the handle screw.
Test. Turn the water back on slowly. Operate the faucet to confirm it shuts off cleanly with no drip.

That fixes about 70% of leaky outdoor faucets. If it doesn’t, the problem is bigger than a washer.

When DIY Won’t Work — Call a Plumber

Stop trying to DIY and call us if:

Water continues to drip after replacing the washer
The stem won’t come out or is corroded in place
You see water around the base of the faucet, not just from the spout — that means the leak is inside the wall
You see water stains on interior walls or ceilings near the faucet’s location
The faucet handle won’t turn at all
The pipe inside the wall has frozen and burst (signs: water came out at first, then nothing, plus damp drywall)

For any of these, the repair usually means opening the wall or replacing the full sillcock — pipe joints, soldering, sometimes drywall patching. Not DIY-friendly territory.

Outside Faucet Won’t Shut Off?

This is a different problem from “won’t stop dripping.” If the faucet keeps flowing even when fully closed:

The stem itself is damaged — sometimes the threads strip and the handle doesn’t push the stem against the seat anymore.
The seat is worn out — the surface the washer seals against has corroded smooth.
The valve body is cracked (usually from freezing) — water bypasses the seal entirely.

The first two can sometimes be DIY. A cracked valve body means full sillcock replacement.

When to Replace vs. Repair

If your sillcock is more than 20 years old and giving you problems, replacement is often smarter than another round of repairs. New frost-proof sillcocks are inexpensive (~$25–$50 in parts), and a full replacement gets you a new stem, new washers, new o-rings, and a fresh seat — no more piecemeal fixes.

If it’s a 5-year-old faucet and only the washer is bad, just replace the washer.

A Word From Don

If you’ve tried the DIY steps and the leak persists — or you’re seeing any signs the problem is inside the wall — give us a call. We’ve replaced sillcocks all over Burleson, Crowley, Joshua, Alvarado, Keene, and Everman. Same-day service on most plumbing calls, and free phone estimates before we head out.

Call Don: 817-447-2654