"Bob F" wrote:
Brooklyn1 wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:
Kay Lancaster wrote:

And don't forget a backflow preventer.

Why?

In the US you don't need a back flow valve for water coming from a
hose bib, it already has a back flow valve from the main, the entire
residence is protected... back flow valves are required for automatic
irrigation systems because they are typically supplied directly from
the water main before the residential back flow valve. But not
knowing the codes where you live you may want to check... but water
from a hose bib I seriously doubt needs a backflow valve... you've
probably been using the hose bib to irrigate from since the house was
built

They are certainly required on hose bibbs where I live, on new construction.

Without saying where you live your statement is totally meaningless...
and it's hose *bibs*... "bibbs" are a type of lettuce.

But then again, most have no backflow valve on the water into the house.

Again, without saying where you live and stipulating the type of water
supply your statement is totally meaningless. In the US municipal
water companies have a check valve at each meter, so their system is
protected. But in the US many people have a private well (I do, I
actually have two) but local zoning code requires a check valve at the
point of entry to a residence, typically before the pressure tank (to
protect the well). The reason for an anti-siphon check valve on an
automatic irrigation system is to protect the residential water supply
because typically such a system is attached directly to the water main
entering the residence (directly after the meter), so as to draw from
the largest diameter pipe for maximum volume and pressure. A hose bib
is already protected the same as the spigot at your kitchen sink. The
only time a check valve may be necessary at a hose bib is if the
irrigation system attached to the hose bib is below ground, ie. buried
soaker hose, or directly on the ground, but unnecessary when using a
garden hose in the usual manner. Heating systems in the US with hot
water boilers are required by code to have a check valve at the
boiler's supply, because typically the system contains anti freeze.
Whether a check valve is required depends on usage, for example an
aquarium aeration compressor needs a check valve to protect the pump,
same as folks who have a swimming pool, and many other usages... but a
hose bib no more needs a check valve than your kitchen sink spigot.
Most folks who use soaker hoses do attach a check valve between the
bib and the soaker hose... most attach a timer, many timers do contain
a check valve, some will add fertilizer, some contain a pressure
regulator... a pressure regulator is a good idea for protecting the
integrity of the soaker hose... a sediment filter is recommended as
well to prevent the soaker hose pores from clogging over time... the
biggest detriment to saoker hoses is hard water, if one has hard water
I don't recommend soaker hoses.