ISO handyman needed for outdoor faucet repair
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Anonymous
| My outdoor faucet needs to be changed. It's stuck open and water will not shut off (I have a temporary cap on there now, but with winter coming I need to get it repaired). I live in NE DC. Trying not to pay $200 for a plumber, but I don't think I have all the correct tools to do the job myself. Anyone have any recommendations? TIA! |
Anonymous
| Lately every handy man I have used charges $100 per hour for labor and may charge a travel fee plus parts, so not sure if it is much less than a plumber! I am in Takoma Park so not a high rent district. |
Anonymous
| You mean a spigot right? I would actually get a handyman who's done this before. It shouldn't be hard (I've done my own). Make sure you get a spigot with a frost preventer. |
Anonymous
Find the indoor shut off valve - probably in the basement. Close it there. Not even a plumber can replace the spigot with the water running. Once it's off, this is a very easy job. |
Anonymous
| Google a video on replacing the valve...you can do it yourself. It turning off the water and turning a nut. |
Anonymous
| get a plumber -- this is not the time to be cheap. |
Anonymous
Yes, I've tried. I turned off the water, but I couldn't get the spigot off the pipe (it's welded or somehow mended on). It seems like I need a pipe cutter or something and replace the entire thing. Also, I'm in a Federal Style house and the exposed pipe comes out from the house underneath the porch (which has that criss cross brick around it except for a small trap door). I need someone to go underneath and insulate it. I've been lucky so far that it hasn't frozen and burst, but really want someone to do it before winter. I'm concerned I'll mess it up and have a bigger isse. |
Anonymous
| You can jam a potato on it temporarily and wire it on. |
Anonymous
| Plumber. A handyman may or may not do the job right and won't be much cheaper. |