outside faucet recommendation

[devils4ever]

I am getting tired of carrying gallons of water from my kitchen into my garage for brewing. I want to use my outside faucet with a RV/boat food-grade hose to fill my kettles. However, I remember reading that outside faucets may contain lead and other things that are not healthy, but I can't remember where.

Can someone recommend a faucet? Are all of the new ones okay?

 

[Ruint]

I believe that a standard brass faucet or brass hose bib would suffice...if the faucet you are looking at is not discernible what it is made of, take a utility knife and scrape along one of the smooth surfaces along its' spout. If it is shiny like steel...you might want to replace (depending on how old the house is) and if it is brass, then you are good to go.

or you could cheat another way by getting an adapter that you can attach to your kitchen faucet that allows you to connect a hose to....

 

[bkboiler]

i remember reading that brass regulations were recently revised so that it cannot contain lead. if yours is an older hose bib, you could get a stainless hose bib for not very much to replace it as youre is likely older brass.

 

[devils4ever]

My house was built in 1982. I would assume it has lead.

 

[bkboiler]

something like this maybe then?

1/2 in. Brass MPT x Sweat Ball Hose Bibb No Lead

http://thd.co/1uAeplU

 

[bkboiler]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=360019

 

[devils4ever]

I did a little research and I think outside faucets are not considered a potable water source. Therefore, I think they contain lead.

So, the options are to not worry about it based on the thread that bkboiler provided. It seems the general consensus is it's safe in that thread. Or, replace it with a lead free one.

I have no problem replacing the faucet with the one suggested or this one: Smith-Cooper-Potable-Service-T-Handle. The only issue is finding one with a flange on it so I can attach it to my siding so it doesn't spin (I'm using SharkBite). No one seems to make one.

 

[govner1]

I had both hot and cold water hose bibs installed in my garage. They are tied directly into the house supply line with the hot water connected to the line off the water heater.
I use a 1/2" beverage hose w/brass hose connections to connect to a filter (hot water version) to fill my HLT. I start w/ 120-125° water in the HLT.

 

[devils4ever]

I had both hot and cold water hose bibs installed in my garage. They are tied directly into the house supply line with the hot water connected to the line off the water heater.
I use a 1/2" beverage hose w/brass hose connections to connect to a filter (hot water version) to fill my HLT. I start w/ 120-125° water in the HLT.

Did you use lead-free faucets or just the regular ones?

 

[b-boy]

If you're concerned, I'd just buy a new faucet. I think anything being sold today should be pretty safe.

 

[Senormac]

won't matter if the pipes going to the faucet are the same as the faucet.

what about the pipes coming from the street to the house ?

 

[govner1]

Lead-free, newest available.

 

[devils4ever]

Yes, it's true I can't control the house plumbing which has lead. I have copper pipes which I'm sure has lead solder joining them. However, most of the drinking faucets are newer, so I think they're okay. I guess I'll just live with it by running it for a while before filling my HLT and mash tun.

 

[RM-MN]

Think about the rate at which lead can dissolve into water. I think it is pretty slow because otherwise it would have dissolved into the water previously leaving your faucet rather porous or it dissolves slowly. If it is slowly, run off a few quarts of water before you fill your pots so that any water that might contain enough lead to be harmful is just disposed of on the lawn or down the drain. Your body will slowly dispose of lead so unless you get too much at a time you won't have a buildup. Note: This may not apply to developing brains so don't give your 2 year old any of this beer.

 

[devils4ever]

I was thinking that all the elbows, tees, etc. are original and must have lead, too. So, I guess worrying about the outside faucet is meaningless. I'll just run the water for a few minutes and brew on!

 

[bajaedition]

won't matter if the pipes going to the faucet are the same as the faucet.

what about the pipes coming from the street to the house ?

This is the irony of this thread, much of the infrastructure of most cities dates back to times when many of the things we now object to were very commonly in use. The underground pipes to and from our water treatment facilities can be a hundred years old or more. seeking to cure a problem in the back yard is minor compared to the exposure of the miles of pipes from the treatment plant. and the closer you are to the plant, the older the pipes are. Newer pipes are further out with expansion of the system so all the water is going through old pipes. Chemicals they treated water with 50 years ago can still be in these pipes in trace amounts. You have to consider that the Feds list hazardous chemicals in PPM that we are allowed to be exposed to, not eliminating them all the way. I consider drinking of tap water slow suicide.

 

[bkboiler]

The Flynt Water Crisis is definitely a reminder of that.
But I agree with the OPs intent to find a good food safe part. corrosion happens to the weakest link (or sacrificial anode), and i dont want that in my food/water either, just like i dont want lead.

 

[Kushner]

I've already run PEX out to where my island is going to be. I haven't built the island yet so I haven't decided on the faucet yet. Andy, if there's no preference on internals, is there any preference on external materials? What holds up the best and what deteriorates the fastest outside? I'll have a stainless sink so I'm sure I'll get a stainless faucet, but are there any considerations?