Which frostproof sillcock?

[jnw]

I hired a plumbing company to give me a quote -- this business was recommended to me by a reputable structural engineer.

They want to replace the defective frostproof sillcock with a Woodford Model 19. They say it's all they install.

I don't like the plastic flange on the Model 19.. and is that handle plastic as well? yuck. 

Also the hole is too big on my brick siding, so they want to install the ugly Woodford PLASTIC oversized bracket.  It's so ugly I can't find a photo of one installed online -- people are probably too embarassed to share it.  The plumber showed me a photo of a recent isntall with this plastic oversized bracket.. and I just thought it looked ugly and not durable.  This sillcock is on a south facing wall and gets full sun.  I can't help but think the plastic flange will deteriorate over time due to UV etc.

I started searching the internet for an alternative and came across the Prier C-144.  What do you think of each? Do you know of a better one?   Also I am liking the thick aluminum Hose Bib Buddy for $12 from Home Depot / Amazon.  Looks much nicer and looks more durable that the Woodford one.  It has a nice diamond shape to match the diamond shape of typical flange of a sillcock which is all metal.

Here is a photo of the bib buddy with a random sillcock. I'd leave off the frost cover hooks.. looks better without.

Would really like an all metal sillcock and pay a little more for it if I have to. The job is gonna cost me $379 as so what's another $30 or $40.

[jnw]

Okay found a photo of the Woodford Model 19 with the oversized flange extension bracket thingy..

Look at it?  All that plastic lol   Looks like a Fisher Price toy.

[index]

Woodford fixtures aren't cheap. They are the quality standard. A Prier C-144 is all metal with a similar design, but I don't know that it is better. 

[jnw]

Woodford fixtures aren't cheap. They are the quality standard. A Prier C-144 is all metal with a similar design, but I don't know that it is better.

Yeah I know they are good but I really don't like the plastic flange. I don't know why they couldn't of used metal.  Then the oversized plastic extension makes it look even worse.

EDIT: Found another photo of the Woodford Model 19 with the oversized plastic flange to match the stock plastic flange.  When the plumber showed me a similar photo of recent install with that I immediately shook my head at all the plastic.. why?  Such a great faucet but why plastic.  I can only think planned obsolescence.  Come on ya'll do you really think that looks like it will hold up well to full direct sunlight on a south facing wall? No shade.. I have a garden back there so the wall gets full sun.  I'd say in 5 years it'd be faded to an ugly pale flat (no longer shiny) plastic and then start cracking and falling apart.

[Sibley]

My parent's house has that, or very similar. They were the only plumbing fixtures we didn't need to replace, so I suspect that your concern about durability may be overstated. Though one of them we did need to disassemble and do some maintenance on, but the fact that it was completely chocked with ivy played a part. They have 3, two of which get full sun. The nice thing about the plastic is it doesn't burn your hand like metal would (and does at my house).

If you don't like the appearance, then either fix the brick so the bigger plate isn't necessary, don't look at it, or put something in front to block the view.

[jnw]

My parent's house has that, or very similar. They were the only plumbing fixtures we didn't need to replace, so I suspect that your concern about durability may be overstated. Though one of them we did need to disassemble and do some maintenance on, but the fact that it was completely chocked with ivy played a part. They have 3, two of which get full sun. The nice thing about the plastic is it doesn't burn your hand like metal would (and does at my house).

If you don't like the appearance, then either fix the brick so the bigger plate isn't necessary, don't look at it, or put something in front to block the view.

I wanted the brick/mortar fixed but the plumber said they aren't equipped to do that and that no plumber really is.  They said they'd have a hard time matching the grout etc.  They didn't act confident at all about properly repairing the brick to make it strong. They suggested it would fall part and get loose in a few years.  (Btw, this is supopsed to be one of the better plumbers in town recommended to me by a very reputable structural engineer.)

I like bib buddy I shared above.. the thick aluminum diamond looking plate.   But the inner flange on the Woodford Model 19 faucet itself is plastic and Woodford doesn't offer a metal one.

Woodford Model 19 can't be the ONLY good sillock. There has to be one made of all metal which is as good.

EDIT: I called another reputable plumber and ask if they use any other sillcock besides the Woodford Model 19 and they said they don't.

[Sibley]

Look, if the plumbers are all insisting on this model, that should tell you something. Either about the plumbers or the other models. Your task now is to figure out what you don't currently know.

If you're going to mess with the brick, that's a job for a mason. Not a plumber.

[jnw]

Look, if the plumbers are all insisting on this model, that should tell you something. Either about the plumbers or the other models. Your task now is to figure out what you don't currently know.

If you're going to mess with the brick, that's a job for a mason. Not a plumber.

Well I decided I'll probably just go with it, since both of the plumbers my structural engineer recommended are so insistent about it.  I'll have them use the bib buddy instead of the oversized plastic flange.

[ChickenStash]

Is this the one?

https://www.woodfordmfg.com/woodford/Wall_Faucet_PDF/19CATALOG.pdf


If so, the handle is powder coated aluminum, not plastic. The flange is polycarbonate which is very strong and UV-stable* - it's also known as Lexan, the stuff in bulletproof windows.


* Edit: With the appropriate additives.

[jnw]

Thanks everyone.  Decided to go with it.

Question: should they be able to connect the sillcock via a threaded connection or is it safer for it to be soldered in?   I was just thinking if it was threaded, it would allow us to do the repair ourselves for the $60 or so it costs for the replacement Woodford Model 19 sillcock.   We could replace the flange at that time if needed.  The sillcock has to be taken out to replace the flange.

[lutorm]

Weird, we just moved to Sweden and I've not seen any plastic sillcocks at all. The ones on our house are these self-draining ones where the water drains out when you close them, even if there's a hose still attached. Coming from Hawaii, I haven't seen them before, but I thought they were cool. I can't tell if that's how the one above works, too. Maybe this is old news for people in freezing climates?