YARD · Under the lawn · Coon Rapids & north metro
Outdoor plumbing, built for Minnesota winters.
AP Plumbing repairs and replaces outdoor faucets in Coon Rapids and the north metro with frost-free, self-draining hose bibs, and fixes the supply piping and backflow preventers that feed lawn irrigation. Minnesota and Coon Rapids both require hose bibs with built-in backflow protection.
5.0 · 513 Google reviews
What you’re looking atAn outdoor faucet and irrigation supply
- Frost-free sillcock
Its valve sits inside the heated basement at the end of a long stem, so the outside part drains and can’t freeze, as long as the hose is off.
- Long stem through the wall
Slopes slightly to the outside so water drains out after each use. Coon Rapids requires self-draining, frost-proof hose bibs.
- Inside shutoff
An interior valve for the outdoor line. Older homes may still have plain hose bibs that have to be shut off and drained from inside each fall.
- Hose left on
Leave a hose attached over winter and the water trapped in the stem can freeze and split it inside the wall.
- Backflow preventer
Lawn irrigation needs backflow protection, often a pressure vacuum breaker, tested by a certified tester when installed and every year after.
- Irrigation supply
Buried supply to the sprinkler zones. EPA says an irrigation leak just 1/32 inch across can waste about 6,300 gallons a month.
01The short answer
Outdoor water, without the spring flood.
In one paragraph
In Minnesota, outdoor plumbing has one job in winter: stay dry. Frost-free hose bibs keep the valve inside, but only if the hose comes off. Irrigation needs its backflow assembly tested every year, a rain sensor by state law, and a spring check for freeze damage before the first run.
The outdoor failure we see most is a frozen hose bib that split inside the wall and leaks into the basement the first time it’s turned on in spring. Next is irrigation: freeze-damaged backflow assemblies and leaking lines.
Fall checklist
- Disconnect hoses from every outdoor faucet
- Shut off and drain any older, non-frost-free hose bibs from the inside valve
- Have the irrigation system blown out and the backflow assembly protected
- Make sure outdoor faucets don’t drip after you close them
Spring checklist
- Check in-ground irrigation for frost or freeze damage before using it, as EPA advises
- Turn on each outdoor faucet and look inside the basement for leaks
- Schedule the annual backflow test
02Symptoms
Outdoor faucet and sprinkler trouble signs.
What it means when outdoor water misbehaves.
| What you notice | What it usually means | How soon to call |
|---|---|---|
| Water in the basement when the hose is on | A frost-free sillcock that froze and split inside the wall. | Today |
| Sprinkler zone won’t pressurize | A leak in the buried line or a damaged backflow assembly. | This week |
| Soggy spot in the lawn | An irrigation line leak. | This week |
| Backflow assembly cracked after winter | Freeze damage. It has to be repaired and retested before use. | This week |
| Loud noise when the faucet runs | A failing valve or loose piping inside the wall. | This week |
| Outdoor faucet drips when closed | A worn washer or seat in the valve. | When convenient |
03Repair or replace
Repair the valve, or replace the bib?
Repair it if
- It’s a frost-free bib with a worn washer or seat
- The leak is at the packing nut
- It drains properly after use
Replace it if
- It froze and split inside the wall
- It’s an old non-frost-free bib
- It has no built-in backflow preventer, which Coon Rapids requires
04Minnesota field notes
Outdoor water rules for cold country.
Rules and numbers that apply to homes here, each with its source.
Hose bibs
Frost-proof
Outdoor hose connections must be listed self-draining, frost-proof hose bibs with a built-in backflow preventer or vacuum breaker.
Irrigation
AVB · PVB · RP
Lawn irrigation must be protected by an AVB, PVB, SVB or RP assembly; systems that inject fertilizer or chemicals need an RP.
Testing
Every year
Testable backflow assemblies must be tested when installed or repaired and at least once a year, by a certified tester.
Source: Minnesota Rules 4714.0603 (cross-connection control)
Rain sensors
State law
Every automatic lawn irrigation system must have technology, such as a rain or moisture sensor, that stops watering when there’s enough moisture.
Source: Minnesota Statutes §103G.298
Irrigation leaks
6,300 gal
An irrigation leak only 1/32 inch across can waste about 6,300 gallons a month.
Source: EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week
Coon Rapids watering
Odd/even
Coon Rapids runs an odd/even sprinkling ban June 1 to August 31; 2026 drought rules also limited sprinkling to 4–9 a.m.
Checked October 2026. Codes and city rules change; your permit office has the final word.
05Real work
Outside faucets, fixed before they freeze.
I had a leaking outside faucet that had haunted me for two years. Last night it was making a loud noise. I was afraid that the water pipes would burst.
Ann H.Google review · Jan 2025
“Denis was great. Had him out to patch a ruptured exterior pipe/hose outlet. Good communication leading up and arrived when he said he would. Clear about what he would do/why, and just as importantly what he didn’t think was necessary. I would definitely use AP again.”
Paul S. · Google review · Sep 2024
“Denis did our hose bibs on the recommendation of a neighbor a while back. … His work was clean and used higher end valves and fittings. So when we need a water heater he was the first call.”
Keith S. · Google review · Mar 2024
“Denis fixed two outdoor facet, fair price and he was very professional.”
Cory J. · Google review · Aug 2026
06Questions
Outdoor plumbing questions, answered.
Straight answers, with the source when a rule or number is involved. Still not sure? Call and describe it.
QWhat is a frost-free hose bib?
A frost-free hose bib, or sillcock, puts its shutoff valve inside the heated house at the end of a long stem. When you close it, the water in the stem drains out the spout, so nothing is left in the cold part of the wall to freeze, as long as no hose is attached.
QDo I need to shut off my outdoor faucets for winter in Minnesota?
Disconnect every hose before the first freeze. Frost-free hose bibs don’t need to be shut off inside, but older, non-frost-free bibs should be shut off at their inside valve and drained. A hose left attached can trap water and split even a frost-free bib.
QDoes my lawn sprinkler system need a backflow preventer?
Yes. Minnesota code requires lawn irrigation to be protected by a backflow assembly such as a pressure vacuum breaker, or a reduced-pressure assembly if the system injects fertilizer or chemicals. Coon Rapids typically requires a PVB, tested every year.
Source: 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code §603.5.6; City of Coon Rapids
QWho can test a backflow preventer?
Testable backflow assemblies must be tested by a certified backflow assembly tester when installed, repaired or relocated, and at least once a year. Each assembly carries a dated, signed test tag, and the local code authority must be notified before one is installed.
Source: Minnesota Rules 4714.0603
QAre there lawn watering restrictions in Coon Rapids?
Yes. Coon Rapids typically runs an odd/even sprinkling ban from June 1 to August 31 based on house number, and its 2026 drought measures limited sprinkling to 4–9 a.m. Neighboring cities run their own odd/even schedules.
Source: City of Coon Rapids, Utilities FAQ
07Related
Often the same visit. Often the same wall.
- Coon Rapids
- Anoka
- Champlin
- Ramsey
- Andover
- Ham Lake
- Blaine
- Lexington
- Lino Lakes
- Spring Lake Park
- Mounds View
- Shoreview
- New Brighton
- Fridley
- Columbia Heights
Each city page has that city’s own water report numbers, permit rules and sewer-line responsibilities.
08Call us
Call the people who know your house inside out.
(612) 245‑7341Mon – Sat · 8 AM – 10 PM
- Hours
- Monday – Saturday, 8 AM – 10 PM · Sunday closed
- Address
- 12433 Uplander St NW, Coon Rapids, MN 55448
- Serving
- Coon Rapids and 14 north‑metro cities · see the map