Most outdoor tap problems, including dripping, low flow, and no water, come down to a worn washer, a faulty packing nut, a failed cartridge, or frost damage to the pipe behind the wall. Simple washer replacements are manageable for a confident DIYer, but any repair that involves the supply pipe inside the wall, a cracked frost-free tap body, or a frozen and burst pipe requires a licensed plumber.
An outdoor tap, also called a hose bib, exterior faucet, or sillcock, is a water connection point mounted on the outside of your home that connects to an interior cold water supply pipe. Outdoor taps handle significant wear from seasonal use, exposure to freezing temperatures, and constant pressure cycling. In the GTA, where temperatures regularly drop well below freezing through a long winter, outdoor taps are one of the most common sources of residential plumbing problems.
The most frequent failures are a dripping tap caused by a worn internal washer or cartridge, a leaking tap body caused by a cracked housing or failed packing seal, reduced water flow caused by mineral buildup or a partially closed supply valve, and a tap that produces no water at all after winter, which almost always indicates a frozen or burst pipe behind the wall.
Understanding the type of outdoor tap on your home affects both the repair approach and the parts required. The two main types in GTA residential homes are standard hose bibs and frost-free sillcocks.
A standard hose bib has a short stem that sits close to the exterior wall. Water remains in the pipe up to the tap body, which means the section of pipe near the exterior wall is exposed to freezing temperatures in winter. These taps require manual winterizing every fall by shutting off the interior supply valve and draining the line.
A frost-free sillcock has a long stem, typically 8 to 12 inches, that extends through the wall so the valve seat sits inside the warm part of the home. When the tap is turned off, the water drains back past the valve seat and away from the cold exterior, significantly reducing freeze risk. Frost-free taps are the standard in newer GTA construction and can still fail if a hose is left connected through winter, trapping water in the stem. The Ontario Building Code requires exterior water supply connections to use either a frost-proof hydrant with a separate shut-off valve located inside the building, or a stop-and-waste cock located inside the building close to the wall making the frost-free sillcock the code-compliant standard for new and replacement installations across the province
A dripping outdoor tap is almost always caused by a worn washer or O-ring at the valve seat inside the tap body. This is one of the more straightforward outdoor tap repairs and can be completed with basic tools in 30 to 45 minutes if the interior shut-off valve is accessible.
If the tap continues to drip after a washer replacement, the valve seat itself may be worn or pitted, which requires either a valve seat grinder or full tap replacement. Galaxy Plumbing Inc. handles faucet repair across the GTA and can assess whether a repair or replacement is the right call.
An outdoor tap that produces no water in spring almost always indicates that the pipe froze and burst during winter. When water freezes inside a pipe, it expands and can crack or split the pipe wall, the tap body, or both. The break is often inside the wall where it is not immediately visible. Once the ice melts in spring, water escapes through the crack rather than flowing to the tap.
Do not continue to turn the tap on and off trying to restore flow. Turn off the interior supply valve immediately to prevent water from flooding into the wall cavity. Contact Galaxy Plumbing Inc. for emergency burst pipe repair. The team can locate the break, repair or replace the damaged section, and assess whether any water damage has occurred inside the wall.
A leak at the handle base or stem area, rather than at the spout, points to a failed packing nut or worn packing material. The packing nut creates a watertight seal around the stem. Over time it loosens or the packing material beneath it compresses and loses its ability to seal.
To fix this, shut off the interior supply valve, then try tightening the packing nut one quarter turn clockwise with an adjustable wrench. Do not overtighten. Turn the water back on and check whether the leak has stopped. If tightening does not resolve it, the packing material needs to be replaced, which requires removing the stem as described in the dripping tap repair steps above.
Replacement is the better choice when the tap body is cracked, when the valve seat is damaged beyond resurfacing, when upgrading from a standard hose bib to a frost-free model, or when the tap is more than 15 to 20 years old and multiple components are showing wear at the same time. A frost-proof sillcock places the faucet's flow valve well within the heated walls of the home, meaning a sudden freeze or forgotten winterization is far less likely to result in a burst pipe, a meaningful upgrade for any GTA home still fitted with a standard hose bib. Galaxy Plumbing Inc. can complete a full outdoor tap replacement in a single visit, including upgrading to a frost-free model if required.
Proper winterization every fall is the single most effective way to prevent outdoor tap failures. Follow these steps before the first hard frost, typically in late October or early November in the GTA.
If your outdoor tap does not have an accessible interior shut-off valve, this is a plumbing upgrade worth doing before next winter. Galaxy Plumbing Inc. can install a proper isolation valve with a drain as part of a fall service visit.
Whether you have a slow drip, no water after winter, or a tap that needs full replacement, Galaxy Plumbing Inc. handles outdoor tap repairs and installations for homeowners across Mississauga, Toronto, Oakville, Vaughan, and the broader GTA. The team diagnoses the issue thoroughly, explains exactly what is needed, and completes the work with upfront pricing on every job. Contact our team or book through Galaxy Plumbing to schedule a same-day assessment.
1. Why is my outdoor tap dripping when turned off?
A dripping outdoor tap that continues to leak after being fully turned off almost always has a worn internal washer or O-ring at the valve seat. These parts compress and degrade with use and are inexpensive to replace. If replacing the washer does not stop the drip, the valve seat itself may be damaged and the tap may need to be replaced. Galaxy Plumbing Inc. handles outdoor faucet repairs across the GTA with same-day availability.
A burst pipe behind an outdoor tap typically shows as no water flow from the tap in spring, water staining on the exterior wall, a damp or soft section of drywall on the interior wall behind the tap, or in some cases an audible dripping inside the wall when the interior supply valve is opened. If you suspect a burst pipe, shut off the interior supply valve immediately and read our guide on what to do when a pipe bursts before turning the water back on.
Replacing an outdoor tap body requires cutting into the supply pipe inside the wall and making a new connection, which involves soldering or using compression fittings on copper pipe. This work should be done by a licensed plumber to ensure it is sealed correctly and compliant with Ontario plumbing code. Washer and packing repairs that do not require accessing the supply pipe are more manageable for a confident DIYer. Our guide on DIY plumbing repairs outlines which tasks are safe to attempt and which require a licensed professional.
Outdoor tap repair costs in Ontario vary depending on the issue. A washer replacement typically costs $80 to $150 for a plumber's visit. A full outdoor tap replacement, including parts and labour, typically ranges from $200 to $400 depending on the tap type and accessibility of the supply pipe. Burst pipe repairs behind the wall cost more and depend on the extent of the damage. For a broader overview of what affects plumbing repair pricing, our guide on plumber costs in Ontario covers the key variables. Galaxy Plumbing provides upfront pricing before any work begins.
A frost-free outdoor tap, also called a frost-free sillcock, has a long stem that positions the valve seat inside the warm part of the home rather than at the cold exterior wall. When the tap is shut off, water drains back past the valve seat away from the cold section of pipe, significantly reducing the risk of freezing. Most new GTA homes are built with frost-free taps. If your home has a standard hose bib, upgrading to a frost-free model is a worthwhile investment before winter. Our guide on winterizing your home with a professional plumber covers outdoor tap preparation alongside other fall plumbing checks.
Yes. Galaxy Plumbing Inc. repairs and replaces outdoor taps for residential clients across Mississauga, Toronto, Oakville, Vaughan, and surrounding GTA communities. The team handles everything from simple washer replacements to full tap replacements and burst pipe repairs. Contact our team to schedule a visit.
