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How Can I Lock My Outside Water Faucet?

by Lianne Jones June 09, 2022

How Can I Lock My Outside Water Faucet?

When it comes to your water, it can come at a hefty price nowadays so you want to be using it when necessary.

However, if you have a water faucet outside, you can sometimes be subject to people trying to steal your water.

Yes, it may sound silly but it is very common if you lock up their water faucets then they could have people using it when you are not in the house. 

In this guide, we will be going through the best ways to keep your outdoors water faucet safe which is both simple and affordable.

You do not want to be throwing more money at items for protection but in this case, that isn't necessary. There are many different types of ways to protect your faucet and they will be listed below here! 

Why Should You Lock It?

There are several reasons for locking your faucet including the main reason for water theft.

If it is situated in an easy access point for many people then you might have people using it without your consent and you'll be the ones paying for the water.

It is very illegal to steal someone's water from their property even if it is out in the open where it has easy access but it definitely does not stop some people. If used inappropriately as well, this can be extremely costly to you. 

It is super common -especially if you have a home away from home like a vacation home.

Due to the fact that you are not there all year round, this makes it a perfect place for people to start using it when you aren't there.

If you are someone who likes to go on vacation a lot then your own home might be vulnerable as well while you are away and these are things you need to be cautious of and why you should lock it to avoid any of these problems. 

How Can I Lock It?

This is 100% a very simple process and will be worth the short amount of time you spend doing this.

You need to consider the size of the lock that you'll need for your water faucet. The majority are usually just a regular size that you will be able to get at most stores.

There are different types of locks which can completely stop the threat of someone else using your water.

For example you can get the Guard N lock which prevents anyone from even being able to turn the water one which is an ideal product.

These don't always tend to be the most heavy duty locks. Therefore, if you are looking for something heavy duty and an issue like this is really playing on your mind then you could also purchase a guard lock which is made out of steel.

There is no way someone is going to try and get into that! This type of lock actually attaches itself to the wall so the whole water faucet is covered.

To complete this type of lock there will be some drilling involved to attach the product to the wall. 

What If You Do Not Want To Drill?

There are also several options if you don't want to drill any holes into the outside walls of your home. There is also the option of a Fozlock.

This is basically a padlock. It is also a cover that attaches to itself so you do not have to worry about any other drilling in case you don't have the tools to do this. 

What Is Good About Cover Locks?

It can be really good to look for a cover lock with padlocks because not only are they really great for protecting your outside water faucet from people trying to steal your water, but it also has its physical advantages.

When using a cover lock, it also protects the faucet from bad weather conditions of rain and snow and heat.

All materials start to deteriorate over time so, if you keep it covered then you will protect it even further giving you a secondary benefit.

What About Taking The Locks Off?

What About Taking The Locks Off?

You need to make sure that you are keeping the keys safe to these padlocks because they are your way in for the majority of them.

Overtime, these locks can become quite still and more difficult to remove. However, with a quick bit of WD-40 then you will be good to go with it! 

When it comes to the keys for the locks, you need to keep them somewhere safe, away from where people can easily view and usually somewhere high that you won't forget about.

It also could be somewhere really convenient for you when you're on your way out into your yard. It is also really important to think about the factors of having children.

It is good to keep the lock away from where the children will find it because kids always want to get into things that are locked and might want to mess around with the water. 

Is It Important To Monitor My Water Usage Outside?

It could be a good idea to actually install a water meter for your outside faucet so you can see how much water you are using.

Therefore, this will make it much easier for you to see whether there are any outlier days where there has been a huge increase in the utilization of water that is out of the ordinary for you. 

This can also be a great idea for you saving your money and water too. When you tend to keep an eye on things more closely, you tend to see the waste more when it is not necessary.

This is the exact same as when it comes to your water faucet.

When installing a water meter, this will allow you to track that singular faucet to see how much even you are using and obviously if someone else is using it without your consent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There A Way To Lock A Water Spigot?

It's easy and cheap to lock your outside water faucet with a faucet lock, available at hardware stores.

These locks come with keys or a padlock system, so they are simple to get on and off. You can also install a flow meter to monitor water theft or shut off the main outdoor faucet valve.

How Do Hose Locks Work?

Push-lock fittings are characterized by a set of three annular barbs and a yellow cap that covers the end of the hose.

All hoses feature an internal braid or mesh to add strength. When the fitting is pressed into the hose, the hose expands to accommodate the fitting's barbs – making it nigh on impossible to remove.

What Is A Spigot Lock?

Outdoor Faucet Lock System to Prevent Unauthorized use and Vandalism, Garden Hose and casing Lock and Water-Saving Cover, and Easy to Install.

What Happens If You Cut The Lock Off Your Water Meter?

You are committing water or utility theft, and this is a crime that is subject to a fine and/or imprisonment. A person does not need to get caught tampering with a meter to be prosecuted.

Conclusion

Overall, you need to keep everything inside and outside of your home safe, and that even includes your outside water faucet.

Water definitely isn't cheap nowadays and you need to make sure that people aren't taking advantage of the times where you're either away or not in the house to use your water for personal use without your consent.

If you feel like this is happening to you, you need to think about installing one of these covers and locks to protect it from thieves. 

Depending on how safe you want it to be, there are plenty of options for different locks and covers for you to choose from, from padlocks to steel covers that can attach to your wall.

It also depends on whether you have any tools like a drill to use in your home. Some of these do require a drill to attach the covers to the wall but there are also some options where that is not necessary.

There are some options where it just completely covers the water faucet and actually attaches to itself.

Hopefully, this guide has given you a good insight on certain things you need to know about outside water faucets and how to protect them.

Depending on what product works best for you, don't waste any time in putting a lock on it because it might be you benefiting from not having to deal with worrying about spiking water rates and you have no idea why.

This way there will be nothing for you to worry about. 


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