Adding a Frost-Proof Backyard Spigot With PEX-A Fittings

Which connection works best for a new hose spigot?

Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helped homeowner Nick add a backyard hose spigot, since the house had only one in the front yard. They chose a spot on the deck where the sill lines up with the hot and cold water piping inside.

Frost-proof sillcock

A conventional garden faucet has a washer outside the house, so full city water pressure sits there, and if it froze it could split off the side of the house. A frost-proof sillcock looks much the same outside, but its shutoff point is far back inside the conditioned space, so it can never freeze.

Connection options

• Push-to-connect: O-rings and stainless steel barbs lock the pipe in, and no proprietary tools are needed. Typically used with copper.
• PEX-B crimp: a steel crimp ring, or a stainless crimp sleeve with a witness mark showing the pipe is fully inserted, is crimped with a tool.
• PEX-B pinch: a stainless-steel sleeve is cinched with a different tool.
• PEX-A expansion: the sleeve is expanded, then the PEX material's memory pulls it tight, giving full flow on the inside. Richard's preferred method.

Cost

Richard priced the parts: over $200 for push-to-connect copper, $120 for the cinch PEX option including a tool, and $150 for PEX-A including the tool. They chose PEX-A.

Installation

After drilling the holes, they applied silicone for a tight water seal. Water was turned off, and Nick cleaned the copper with emery cloth. They marked two cuts and used a small tubing cutter, which leaves a cleaner edge than a hacksaw. A copper-to-PEX push-to-connect tee went in with a click, and PEX-A connections were expanded three times with the tool, pushing in after each. With the elbow connected and facing the wall, the water was turned on.