Putting up a frost free hydrant is as easy as putting in any other type of ground hydrant, with the added bonus that you won’t have to dig it up again. If you need to install a new outdoor water hydrant or replace an old one, or if you just want to learn how to do it yourself, we’ve laid out all the steps for you below.
Installation of a frost-free hydrant is straightforward and only for a few supplies. The easiest approach to avoid many problems in the future is to have them installed correctly. Most hydrant issues are caused by sloppy setup, so be sure to check yours.
What is a frost free hydrant?
When a regular outdoor faucet is too far away for a garden hose to reach, a frost free hydrant is a frequent solution. In most cases, a yard hydrant setup will involve burying a horizontal pipe that connects to a long vertical pipe (a standpipe) that will drain the water when the hydrant is turned off. A significant portion of the standpipe’s base is buried below the frost line, the depth at which the ground freezes throughout the winter. There is no standing water in the hydrant’s upper section because water runs out of the faucet and standpipe into the unfrozen ground.
The inability to melt snow requires a fully functional yard hydrant. A leaking fire hydrant may require replacement if repairs have failed or if you discover that a part has broken. It’s not hard to replace a yard hydrant, although you might have to dig down a ways to get to the fitting and supply pipe.
Picking a Spot
As a first step, pick a location for the frost free hydrant. Make sure to put it somewhere that is accessible for multiple uses and safe from being run over by a snowplow, tractor, or truck. Location close to a south wall of a building is ideal because that’s where the most sunlight enters the building throughout the day. Further, you’ll want to keep large livestock away from it, so the hydrant should be placed beyond the fence of the pasture or corral if at all possible.
The next step is to track down a functioning water line that can be connected. If you don’t have an outdoor line installed just yet, run a line from your building’s cold water supply down through the basement or crawlspace and out where it will be safe from freezing temperatures.
Because the frost line’s depth might vary depending on factors including climate, soil consistency, and whether or not the soil has been disturbed, it is important to consult with local authorities before making any assumptions.
Determine the most efficient course for the new water line, and then dial 811 to have your property marked for any existing utilities that may be buried in that area. If there are any buried sewer lines on your septic system map, you should investigate those as well. Before you start digging, it’s important to find out whether there are any other potential dangers lurking below.
Digging the line
The first step in installing a hydrant is locating an existing waterline, after which you can dig a trench to the desired location. Keep the waterline as deep as you intend to bury the hydrant; otherwise, the hydrant will be without water until the frost melts the surrounding soil. Timeframes ranging from a few days to many months are possible.
Remove any jagged rocks from the trench, and if the soil is particularly gravelly, you may want to cover the buried waterline with sand to prevent it from shifting. Although this may increase costs, the alternative is having to dig the hydrant back up due to an underground water leak. This occurs due to the ground’s continual, little movement brought on by freeze-thaw cycles.
When water moves through the earth because of rain, it moves somewhat. If a water line is left unguarded in a gravelly trench, the sharp rocks may pierce it. This results in a sluggish leak below the earth. These hidden leaks can cause your good pump to wear out faster than usual. A sluggish leak can waste hundreds of gallons of water per day.
Installing a new frost free hydrant
Some hydrants have built-in check valves; if yours doesn’t, you can install one by connecting the hydrant end of the supply line to an external check valve, then connecting a 90-degree elbow to the hydrant’s inlet at the bottom.
Let’s check for leaks by pressurizing the line right now. Afterward, make sure the hydrant is standing upright, open it, and close it, keeping an eye on the drain hole to make sure water continues to flow when the valve is closed. In order to prevent the hydrant from freezing over, it has a drain installed near its base.
Assuming there are no leaks and the drain is operating as it should, you can install the frost free hydrant vertically and backfill with enough crushed gravel or pea rock to cover the drain hole by several inches. Many people reinforce the hydrant by installing a steel or wooden pole alongside it.
Final Words
We have completed the installation of your frost free hydrant. As a drainage system, it is well-connected and built upon a solid rock foundation. The trench should be filled in at this point. Installing a frost free hydrant correctly relies on keeping it at a consistent level throughout. Carefully fill in the trench around the riser pipe, checking it several times with a hand level to make sure it isn’t leaning in any direction.
If you replace the standpipe on your hydrant and it still doesn’t work right, the problem could be with the pipe from your home to the hydrant. This line can sometimes get a crack, which can change how much pressure you get from the hydrant. If you think this is the case, you might want to call a professional to check the line and look for a possible leak since you might have to dig too much to do it yourself.