How To Adjust Yard Hydrant (EASY FIX)

You’re likely familiar with your yard hydrant and how it works, but did you know that there are ways to adjust the flow of water? It’s true! Read on to learn more about how to adjust your yard hydrant.

Brand

Brand of the hydrant: The brand of the hydrant should be clearly marked on the side. If you find that it is not, this is a good indication that it is not a standard hydrant. 

Check with your local fire department or home improvement store to see if they can help you identify what brand it is.

How to determine the brand: Your homeowner’s insurance agent may also be able to tell you which brand of yard hydrant you have if theirs are similar in design.

 This can be helpful because many insurance companies will require proof that their customers’ yard hydrants meet certain standards for safety before issuing policies in certain areas where fire risk may be higher than normal due to drought conditions or other factors affecting water supply lines into homes (such as power outages).

Facing The Nut

Turn the nut counterclockwise. Use a wrench or pliers to make this process easier on yourself. If you can’t turn it.

Try to loosen it with a hacksaw blade before turning back the other way with your tool of choice it might be difficult to get out otherwise! If you still can’t turn it, use a hammer and chisel to remove it but don’t forget about safety when doing so (wear eye protection!).

Cleaning The Hydrant

Your first instinct might be to grab a brush and start scrubbing. While this method works, it’s not the most efficient way to get the job done.

Instead, you can use your garden hose to clean off any debris from around the hydrant (don’t forget about the base). 

You’ll want to aim for a gentle flow of water when doing this; too much pressure could damage your hydrant or cause it to leak.

If you don’t have access to a hose, then try using a sprayer instead! This will ensure that all of your hard work gets washed away without leaving behind any streaks or residue on your yard hydrant.

Screwdriver

A screwdriver is a tool that can be used for many different purposes. They are useful for turning screws, prying open lids, and other tasks. Screwdrivers are available in different sizes and shapes.

Open The Valve

Find the valve handle and turn it clockwise to open the valve.

If you can’t find the valve handle, look for a small hole in the top of the hydrant. This is where you need to insert your key or other tool. Turn it clockwise until water flows out of this hole.

Wrench

Depending on which type of hydrant you have, there are different ways to use a wrench. For example, if you have a gate valve, then you’ll want to use a wrench to loosen and tighten the nut that secures it in place. 

The same goes for check valves; however, instead of using a wrench on the nut that holds them in place (as with gate valves), check valves require wrenches used for removing their bonnets and gaskets as well as their stems.

Thermometer

This next one is pretty self-explanatory: if your water tastes or smells funny, or if it’s too hot or too cold, the problem could be due to a faulty thermometer. 

If you’re getting warm water from your faucet and no cool water from your refrigerator’s icemaker, then you might have a faulty thermostat. 

A good rule of thumb is that if there’s a problem with the temperature of your home’s water supply, get it checked out by an expert.

If you’re not sure what type of hydrant you have in front of your house (or apartment), check out our handy guide on how to identify different types!

New Nuts

By now, you should have the new nuts in hand and ready to install. The first thing you will need to do is remove the old nuts from your hydrants. 

This can be done by turning a wrench counterclockwise while pushing it against the rod (or shaft) of your hydrant. 

Once one nut has been removed, repeat this process for each remaining one before removing any pieces from the box that may have gotten stuck together during shipping.

The Old Nuts

With the old nuts cut, you can turn your attention to cleaning up the threads. To do this, first wash out both sides of each nut and bolt with a stiff brush and some soapy water.

Next, wipe down each nut and bolt with a rag soaked in mineral spirits (or paint thinner). This will remove grease from inside the threads and help prevent rusting.

Afterwards, dry off all components thoroughly with compressed air or cotton cloths to prevent corrosion from moisture that remains on them.

Knife or Screwdriver

You can open a hydrant valve with a screwdriver or other similar tool. You should be careful not to damage the valve, though, as it is made of metal and may crack if you are too rough with it. Ideally, you should use a wooden or plastic tool that won’t scratch the surface of the wrenching nut.

Hacksaw blade or other sharp tool

You will need a hacksaw blade or other sharp tool to cut the pipe, but be careful. It is best to wear gloves while cutting so you can protect your hands from flying debris.

Hammer

Once the nut has been loosened, you can use a hammer to tighten it. Once it’s tight, you should be able to remove the old nut using just your fingers. You might need some pliers if the old nut is stuck on tightly, but be sure not to scratch or damage any of your pipes!

To install a new nut: place it over the end of your pipe and hammer it into place until it is fully threaded onto your pipe.

Remove Locknut And Bonnet Assembly

You are now ready to remove the locknut and bonnet assembly. This is a two-step process.

First, unscrew and remove the locknut by turning it counterclockwise until it is loose enough to pull off with your fingers. 

This may be difficult because of corrosion or debris around it. If this happens, use pliers to loosen the locknut while holding onto its opposite side with your hand this will prevent it from spinning as you turn it out of place (which could cause damage).

Second, grab hold of the bonnet assembly (the black rubber cap) using thick work gloves or pliers. 

Pull up and out on the bonnet until all four retaining clips break free from their grooves in the hydrant body (they should sound like cracking nuts when they pop).

Conclusion

You have now successfully adjusted your yard hydrant. If you are still having problems with the system, contact a professional for further assistance.