# Frost/Freeze Proof Hydrants



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

It's that time of the year again to check your buried freeze/frost proof hydrants for the drain back function of its design. If you don't have one but your neighbor does you can advise him/her. If he is a know it all neighbor, don't bother. :biggrin2:
After a few years one of mine recently failed the test because of the invasive nature of Virginia Creeper, so start digging SeniorSitizen. Fortunate the 1/8" street ell was only plugged and I knew which side the ell was on. Saves some gopher work.

A few ways to test the draining function:

1) with no hose connected, turn water on then off and place the palm of your hand on the hose connection. If draining, a vacuum will be felt and will be audible when your hand is taken off.

2) fill a cup while holding it so the hose connection is submerged in the cup of water. Close the valve and the water will be siphoned from the cup. This also checks the drain flow rate by guess and by golly.

3) not recommended - wait to determine if it freezes.:surprise:


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

When I install those, I make sure that I leave a void around the drain hole, by carefully placing large stones in a pattern around the drain so that it has a void with a large flat rock on top to help prevent the fill dirt from getting too close to the ell and plugging them off. 

Stack rocks to leave an open box, with a lid ( the flat stone), and leaky sides so the drain has a way to empty fully.


ED


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

Or backfill it with a wheelbarrow load of3/4 crush and maybe a layer of landscaping cloth. I had one freeze in the barn. Great fun thawing it out at -30. Rod needed adjusting.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I have had to dig at least one up that had 3/4 crushed gravel as it's drain field, because it drained slowly, and would sometimes be slushy.

Just as luck would have it, a gravel had gotten lodged in the outlet, and was nearly plugging the outlet, hence my void building idea.

Was also called out because another's whole thing suddenly began to spin freely.

Dug it up to discover that some other DIY ER had used a steel nipple to connect the standpipe to the waterline, instead of a BRASS nipple, and it had rusted through, and they had a massive underground water leak. 

Then there was the one where their TWEEN had backed over it and it was bent so bad that it would not operate. 


ED


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Better check those hydrants again. You most likely don't need to be troubled with that when it has been below freezing temperatures then thaws causing water to squirt from all the wrong places.:vs_mad:


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