DO-IT-YOURSELF : Tapping the Source for Hot Water Outside

Have you ever wondered, maybe while washing the car, filling the kiddie pool or handling any of a dozen other outdoor water chores, why someone hasn’t designed a hot-and-cold-water outdoor faucet?

Actually, such faucets do exist, and have been used at the commercial level for years. But for some reason, they’ve seldom made the trip to the residential side of the street.

It could be because they’re a bit pricey ($225 to $250), but more likely, it’s because few of us know that they exist.

If you decide you would benefit from having an outdoor hot water faucet, installing one in a typically framed house is relatively easy for a confident do-it-yourselfer.

Begin by choosing a joist space convenient to both outdoor watering tasks and indoor plumbing lines. Because the body of the valve must fit through a sizable opening in the rim joist, you’ll need to cut (not drill) the siding and joist. Position the faucet in a convenient location, then mark the siding for the faucet body cutout using a level.

Once the cutout is marked, bore saw blade entry holes at the four corners. Use a one-quarter-inch bit for good clearance. Then, cut between the holes by using a reciprocating saw or sabre saw. Once the opening is cut, check the faucet for fit. Apply a bead of caulk to the rim of the opening and press the faucet in place.

Before fitting any piping to the faucet, install the check valves in the hot and cold mixing-valve ports. With the water shut off at the meter and the piping system drained, cut into your home’s hot and cold water supply lines. (Most likely, these lines will be made of copper.)

To make the connection between the water supply lines and the new faucet, splice tees into the trunk lines and continue piping toward the faucet. With connections made, solder all fittings with lead-free solder and support the piping at least every six feet with pipe hangers.

Like many chores, sweat soldering plumbing fittings looks more complicated than it is. The basic requirements are simple: Cut the tubing cleanly and squarely, and clean all mating surfaces so they are free of dirt and contaminants.

To get a good cut, use a high-quality tubing cutter. And to make sure everything is clean, rigorously rub all mating surfaces with steel wool, then coat them with flux before joining them.

Also keep in mind that lead-free solder requires more heat to melt than older solders. Just hold your propane torch on each joint longer before applying the solder.