Have you ever wondered why your water bill is creeping higher and higher ever so slowly? You search all the bathrooms and kitchen faucets, but you can’t figure out why it is happening. Well… as it turns out, the answer could be your water hose, or specifically, the hose bibb. This can potentially leak even when the hose is turned off.

Understanding the system

To check for leaks, you must first understand how the system works. Water comes from the well or city plumbing into your house and is dispersed through the network of pipes. The pipes are filled with water and are controlled at various endpoints around your house via faucets. Sometimes. outdoor faucets are controlled with something called a “bibb”. You are probably more familiar with it as the faucet you connect your hose to.

Finding the potential leak

The most obvious way to notice the leak is when you go to use the hose, you can visually see the water spraying out of the connection from the bibb to the hose. While it can leak while the bibb is turned off, the leak will likely be more prominent when it is turned on. Make sure to carefully inspect where the water is coming from. If it appears to be coming directly from the connection of the bibb to the hose, then do the following:

  1. Turn Off The Water and Remove The Hose
  2. Check For Any Debris on The Bibb Connection and Inside The Hose
  3. Ensure That There Is A Sealing Piece Such As A Rubber Seal or “O-Ring”
  4. Ensure The Hose Is Not Damaged
  5. Reconnect The Hose and Make Sure it is Connected Properly
  6. Turn The Water Back On

If you still see water coming from the bibb after following these steps, then you may need a professional plumber to fix it for you. There could be a wide range of issues such as improper winterization that caused the pipes to crack, broken threads on the bibb, loose connections, and much more. Call Preferred Plumbing today if you need help with fixing a broken bibb!