Drive past any property in Cassia or Minidoka County, and you will likely see them: those tall, red or blue pipes sticking out of the ground near barns, corrals, and gardens. The “frost-free yard hydrant” is a staple of life in rural Idaho.
They are designed to provide water outdoors year-round, even when the temperature drops well below zero. But when they break or freeze, they become a major headache—especially if you have livestock counting on that water.
At Sunrise Plumbing, we repair and replace more of these than just about anyone else. Here is how they work and why they fail.
The Secret is Underground
People often ask us, “Why doesn’t this pipe freeze like my garden hose?”
The magic happens 4 feet underground. When you lift the handle, a long metal rod pulls a plunger off a valve seat deep in the earth (below the frost line), allowing water to flow up. When you push the handle down, it shuts the water off at the bottom, not the top.
Crucially, a small “weep hole” at the bottom opens up when the hydrant is off, allowing all the water in the vertical pipe to drain out into the gravel below. No water in the pipe means no ice.
Why Do They Fail?
1. Leaving the Hose Attached (The #1 Mistake)
We see this every winter. If you leave a hose attached to the hydrant, air cannot get in. This creates a vacuum that prevents the water from draining out of the weep hole. The water stays trapped in the standpipe, freezes solid, and splits the pipe or breaks the rod.
Rule of Thumb: Always remove the hose immediately after use in winter. Even for a few minutes.
2. The Leaking Plunger
If you shut the handle but the hydrant continues to drip, or if water bubbles up from the ground around the base of the pipe, the rubber plunger at the bottom has likely worn out. This allows water to leak constantly, which wastes water and creates a muddy mess.
3. Improper Installation
If a hydrant wasn’t installed with a proper “drain field” (a pocket of gravel around the base), the weep hole gets clogged with mud. The water can’t drain, and the hydrant freezes.
Repairing a Hydrant is Not a Shovel Job
Fixing a yard hydrant isn’t as simple as changing a washer on a sink. Because the working parts are buried 3 to 4 feet deep, repair usually involves significant excavation.
Don’t break your back digging. At Sunrise Plumbing, we have the excavation equipment and the expertise to dig up, repair, or replace your yard hydrant quickly and cleanly. Whether it’s for your garden or your cattle trough, call us at +1 208-312-0041 to get the water running again.