To stop your yard hydrant from dripping, it’s an easy repair, taking only a few tools - all at the top of the hydrant!

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Freezeless yard hydrants have been around for quite a long time and how they work is both simple and ingenious! Also known as frostproof hydrants, they are especially important in rural and semi-rural settings where they are used for livestock that needs access to fresh, unfrozen water throughout the winter.

These types of ground faucets differ from typical hose bibs that are seen in most suburban yards. The valve body is at the bottom of the standpipe, stopping water from being exposed to freezing temperatures. The clever design doesn’t stop there, though. If water was allowed to remain in the standpipe leading up the outlet, that column of water would be susceptible to freezing, which would certainly damage the pipe and possibly the hydrant head.

To avoid this, the valve body also has a drain feature so that when the hydrant is turned off, the water drains out below the frost line, clearing the upper assembly of water so that damage is eliminated. Smart, huh?

Another great feature of this type of hydrant is that all the manufacturers have designs that allow essentially all repairs to be made from the top side, without having to dig up the entire unit. Somebody really thought this one through!

In this episode, DirtFarmerJay shows you how to repair a dripping hydrant. Water coming out of the faucet is more than a nuisance in areas that have freezing weather. Slow-moving water is highly likely to freeze and damage the standpipe and head assembly. You may be able to “get away” with a drip in warm/hot weather, but it’s a real gamble once the temps drop.

The hydrant we repaired was a Merrill Manufacturing unit, but all the units will have a similar method to address the issue.

For specifics on the repair or maintenance of your yard hydrant, you can visit the company’s website. Here are some of the more common ones in the United States:

Merrill Manufacturing - www.merrillmfg.com - made in Storm Lake, Iowa
Woodford Manufacturing - www.woodfordmfg.com - made in Colorado Springs, CO
Simmons Manufacturing - www.simmonsmfg.com - made in McDonough, GA
Campbell Hydrants - www.bakerwatersystems.com, made in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania
Sure, you can call a plumber to repair your yard hydrant, but why? Now, with DirtFarmerJay’s help, you can JUST DO IT YOURSELF!

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