Yard Faucet Installation
- Typically the yard faucet sits on top of a galvanized pipe that extends vertically from the ground. You can select a water hydrant that is freezeless, which allows you to have access to the water year-round. Some models are self-draining. Models come in a variety of heights and deliver different maximum flow rates, and some can be locked. All faucets needs to extend to below the freeze line.
- Place the faucet close to your garden or wherever you plan to use it. Space it far enough from the fence so you can mow or weed around it.
Figure out where you plan to tap into your home's water line. Make the point of exit from your house to the yard hydrant as short as possible to make the installation easier. Be careful not to dig up any existing concrete or landscaping.
Dig at least a 6-foot hole manually with a pair of jobbers. For the trench that connects the water hydrant with the house, rent a trencher. The trench doesn't need to be wide, but it does need to be deep enough to bury the pipes below the freeze line. - Put the pipe for the water line in the trench. For shorter trenches, piece together PVC pipe. For longer ones, it may cost less to buy a roll of flexible plastic water pipe.
Prepare the connections for the yard hydrant and the water line pipe. To help support the water hydrant and allow for the proper drainage, slip the hydrant inside a larger piece of PVC pipe before making the final connections. With the hydrant oriented the way you want it, settle some dirt around the base of the hydrant. Add 6 inches or more of loose gravel to provide stability and drainage. As you fill the rest of the hole with dirt, try not to get any in the area inside the PVC pipe that encloses the base of the hydrant.
Make the connections to the water line. You need to connect to the water line and bring the connecting water line through the wall or sill plate of the house. When all the connections are secure, fill in the trench to complete the installation.
