Water supply is the first question we ask on a Gig Harbor job. A patchwork. The City of Gig Harbor runs its own well-fed water system for the downtown core and part of the urban growth area. Washington Water Service serves several areas on the peninsula, Peninsula Light Company provides water to thousands of members between Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula, and a good number of Artondale, Rosedale and Crescent Valley homes are still on private wells. At about 25 minutes from Port Orchard down Highway 16, no bridge toll in that direction from Port Orchard, Gig Harbor is a regular line on our schedule, not a special trip.
Why hose bib & outdoor faucet replacement is a little different in Gig Harbor
On Gig Harbor lots with long gravel driveways and outbuildings, we trench supply lines below the frost line and install frost-free hydrants at the shop, garden and RV pad, each with its own isolation valve back at the house.
Where the drains end up matters just as much. The city owns the sewer system and the treatment plant on the west side of the harbor, which serves the city limits plus a few developments like Canterwood. Most of the unincorporated peninsula, including large parts of the growth area, is still on septic. When we get a drain call we ask which one you have, because the answer changes the whole approach.
Local conditions that affect hose bib & outdoor faucet replacement in Gig Harbor
Here is a Gig Harbor detail that changes how we approach the job: Septic effluent pumps and alarms on waterfront lots where the drainfield sits uphill
The east-wind freezes that hit Pierce County every few years are hard on exterior walls facing Puget Sound or Hood Canal. On exposed Gig Harbor elevations we add an interior shutoff with a drain so the faucet can be fully isolated before the cold arrives.
The pattern we see most in Gig Harbor is this: Tankless heaters scaled up on hard well water in Artondale and Rosedale
Newer construction in Gig Harbor usually has frost-free bibs already, but we regularly find them installed with a slight uphill pitch so the barrel never drains. Checking and correcting the pitch is part of every replacement we do.
Signs Gig Harbor homeowners call us for hose bib & outdoor faucet replacement
Worth a call
- The outdoor faucet drips from the handle or spout even when it is closed tight
- Water sprays out of the top of the faucet when the hose is on
- A damp spot or stain appears on the wall, ceiling or crawlspace below an exterior faucet
- The faucet handle spins freely or will not turn at all
- You hear water running inside a wall after turning on a hose bib
How we handle hose bib & outdoor faucet replacement in Gig Harbor
Expect a Gig Harbor hose bib & outdoor faucet replacement call to go like this: describe the faucet and the wall, shut off and inspect, flat price before any cutting, install and secure, then pressure test and show you. If the plan changes mid-job, we stop and re-quote rather than surprise you on the invoice.
Read the full step-by-step for hose bib & outdoor faucet replacement →
Gig Harbor neighborhoods and areas we serve
From Crescent Valley to Point Fosdick, with plenty of stops around Cushman Trail and Skansie Brothers Park and the Netshed, Gig Harbor is well-worn ground for our trucks.
Hose Bib & Outdoor Faucet Replacement questions from Gig Harbor
Does a frost-free faucet really matter in Gig Harbor's climate?
Yes. Pierce County winters are mild most years, but the hard freezes every few years split standard bibs by the hundreds. A frost-free sillcock with the hose removed rides those out.
Can you install a yard hydrant on my Gig Harbor property?
Yes. We trench the supply below the frost line, set the hydrant in a gravel drain bed, and add a shutoff at the house or pump house. Rocky glacial soil around Gig Harbor sometimes means hand-digging part of the run.
The wall under my Gig Harbor outdoor faucet is wet. What should I do?
Shut off the water to that faucet or the whole house, then call us. That usually means a freeze split behind the wall, and the sooner the water is off, the less drying and repair you face.
Is there a trip charge to Gig Harbor for a small job like a hose bib?
No. Gig Harbor is inside our normal service area and the flat price covers the visit. We are glad to come out for a single faucet.
Can you replace a hose bib without opening the wall?
Often, yes. If the old faucet is threaded onto a fitting we can usually swap it from the outside. If the copper behind it split in a freeze or the galvanized is rotten, we may need a small access cut inside, and we quote that separately so you know before we cut.
Gig Harbor homeowners often find us after a larger outfit quoted a replacement for something that only needed a repair. We would rather earn a customer for life than win one big ticket.