Hose Bibbs Good, Better, Best …Ultimate

[@allanlindsay9414]

After I saw the Aquor units on your site a few years back, I replaced the "standard" frost free ones on my house with those. Of course since I was that far in ("While I was there")I also removed the siding around them and installed some Builders Edge mounting blocks so I could make sure the whole assembly was air tight and water tight. Once I put everything back it works perfectly and looks professional.

[@Patriot3791]

Sees house on fire. "No! My $400 hose bibs!"

[@andrewj464]

That last one looks nifty, but for the price it would be cheaper to just install two side by side: one with just cold water and one with a mixing valve set for hot but not scalding.

[@grscklyr4dfbz]

Or get a prier c108 and be able to adjust it to your taste every time for $100. $400 hose bib -- bah!

[@MorryB]

It definitely helps to understand the value propositions of these more expensive hose bibs helps when you consider the total installed costs and potential risks (including durability) of the cheaper options. I had a "frost free" hose bib installed a few years back but if I had to do it again would definitely have gone for the Aquor option.

[@BenBrand]

Those Aquor ones sure are pretty, and there's not a lot of good options for lead-free hot cold hose bibs right now. But the regular Aquor are so pricy and to pay that price and still have a proprietary connector just seems like not a very good idea. There are so many good quick connect fittings that retrofit onto standard hose bibs these days that are all brass and work for a lifetime. But even if they don't or you need to replace them in the future, you've still got the underlying non-proprietary thread you can use forever.

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmid3555]

Thank you Matt, you know I've looked and searched all over for valves like that bleeder one you described. Amazing I must've used every and any other word rather than bleeder .... and could not find valves. THANK YOU for the vocabulary lesson.

[@jpdavis129]

Having one with the ability to mix hot and cold water for washing a car or animal in the winter time is awesome. Ive had one connected to all hot before, but then you have 125 degree water coming out which is too hot. This setup is nice

[@preston9412]

Honetly just going to go with frost free hydrents you can get one for mid range of those and still use it in winter because shut off is under frost line. no issues with air sealing and most of them can be serviced from the top without any digging.

[@Gideon_Judges6]

That "crappy" foam hose bib cover has kept my spigot from freezing for many years, except I buy the slightly more expensive one with a hard plastic shell over it just so it doesn't disintegrate from UV, rain, etc...

[@ronm6585]

Thanks Matt.

[@kestralrider313]

Cool products, for our high end residential or commercial, there's a great range of "hydrants" from Zurn, Watts and others, some frost free, some mild climate. Finding the length is always a pain, but it can be done when you're willing to compromise where the hose bibb lands on the outside wall.

[@MorryB]

I would think that on certain commercial properties that vandalism and water theft also becomes a consideration which may mean selecting a particular design better suited for that.

[@garrett9186]

Prier has a really nice hot cold model aswell for about $250. I really like it.

[@jw8927]

Hey Matt, I’m in South Central Texas. I’ve got Pex plumbing with a manifold so I cut off my hose bibs when it gets really cold and my outdoor kitchen faucet from inside my utility room and then just open the valves and let any water out and I never have an issue.

[@buildshow]

That’s a great strategy!

[@Jim-jb2jr]

I do the same in Houston. I'm able to go to one room and shut off all my hose bibs, and then I drain all of them and blow them out with a Makita M18 blower.

[@willm6871]

At least you didn't mention the plague of horribly made arrowhead hydrants. However im a north texas plumber and have to say I wouldnt use any hydrant that takes a special fitting. Manifold system is king

[@gregsafford]

Shut off valves always. That last hose bib is insane and very cool... But I actually wonder if freezing will be an issue in cold weather if you don't drain the pipe. I guess the hot would be okay though, especially if it's Pex.

[@grscklyr4dfbz]

How do you run the build show and not know about frost free mixing valves from prier? I'd rather pay $100 than $400! C108 series, for example.

[@rickyspanish9625]

Im a big hater of Prier. They use a non stainless screw to hold that plastic handle on and the handle covers the packing nut it’s a real pain to make any repairs on them. Woodfords are the most reliable imo but they’re noisy and annoying when you turn the handle.

[@Jim-jb2jr]

Thanks for the tip. The model C-108 says it uses stainless steel screws. I will research more.

[@mitchdenner9743]

I like prier.

[@-BlackBird7]

I think the hot/cold bib is cool and a nice to have but I wouldn't buy it even if it was 200 bucks not worth it. Especially since there are more things that will indeed go wrong. I really like the one Matt used on his house, ya its spendy but if you only have to buy a few of them it beats having a pipe bust in the wall. Since global warming is making it colder and colder now a days it may be a good idea to start using these.

[@samuelfeguer]

400 bucks and they couldn't come up with a more elegant solution other than an ugly flap?

[@rangerdoc1029]

$20 model... But both hot & cold.

[@jonerlandson1956]

i honestly don't see the sense in penetrating the house when you don't have to?...

[@wesleywahl9675]

This. I installed yard hydrants around my house. They drain into the ground when you turn them off, so you don’t have to worry about winter proofing them. No water on any exterior wall except where it comes in the house at the laundry room.