How long does a hose bibb vacuum breaker last?

You can expect a hose bibb vacuum breaker to last about 5 to 12 years, with an average of 7 years. But it can fail much sooner if left open (vacuum breaker pressurized) and a hand-held nozzle at the end of the hose is used to turn the water on and off. To read more about it, go to our blog post Why is the vacuum breaker at my hose faucet leaking, gushing water, or making funny sounds? 

    Here’s a bar graph comparing the life expectancy of a hose bibb vacuum breaker to other plumbing fixture lifespans.
   Go to our blog post What is the average lifespan of the parts of a house? for rating of other house components. To understand the basis, potential use, and limitations of lifespan ratings, see our blog post How accurate are the average life expectancy ratings of home components? Are they actually useful?  

Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about PLUMBING:

• What is the difference between a sill cock, hose bibb, hose faucet, outdoor faucet, and hose spigot? 

• How can I protect my pipes to keep them from bursting during a hard winter freeze in North Florida?

• Why is there sand in the bottom of my toilet tank?  

• What causes a gurgling sound when a bathtub or sink drains? 

• Are drop-in toilet bowl cleaner tablets safe? 

• What can I add to my septic tank to help it work better?

• What are the code requirements for layout of drain piping under sinks? 

• Why is there mold inside my toilet tank?  

• What are the pros and cons of a wall-mounted toilet?

• Which plumbing fixtures require water shut off valves in a home? 

• How can I tell if a house is connected to a septic tank system or sewer?

• Are plastic pipes (PVC, CPVC, and PEX) safe for drinking water? 

• Why is a backflow preventer required on lawn sprinkler systems? 

• How can I locate my septic tank? 

• Is a hot water faucet handle required to be on the left? 

• Can you live in a house while the plumbing is being replaced? 

• Why is the European-style bottle trap not approved by the plumbing codes in the U.S.? 

• Why can't PVC be used for water pipe inside a house? 

• What are the common problems to look for when the plumbing has been replaced in a house? 

• What's that powdery crust on the pipe connections at the water heater? 

• How can I tell what type of plumbing pipe I have? 

• What causes low water pressure in a house?

• Should I call a plumber or septic tank contractor when my septic tank backs up into the house? 

• How do I get rid of the sewer gas smell in my house?  

• What are the pipes on my roof? 

• Should I wrap the water heater with an insulation blanket? 

• My water bill went way up last month. How do I look for a leak?

• Why does the water have a rotten-egg smell in some empty houses? 

• What is an "S-Trap" under my sink? Why is it a problem? 

• Where is the septic tank? Are you going to inspect it? 

• What does polybutylene pipe look like? Why is it a problem?

• Which water pipes are an insurance problem and possibly uninsurable? 

• Does a home inspector check the plumbing under the floor slab?

• Is it alright to disconnect the washing machine drain from the septic tank and divert it to the ground in the yard?

      Visit our PLUMBING page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.  

NOTE: These life expectancies are based on data provided by InterNACHI, NAHB, FannieMae, and our own professional experience. Because of the numerous variables that can affect a lifespan, they should be used as rough guidelines only, and not relied upon as a warranty or guarantee of future performance.