Woodford 17CP Replacement

[collie]

Advice needed on replacing an outdoor Woodford 17CP faucet.

The wind blew something over and broke off the circular hand grip on one of my outdoor faucets ... just deep enough to require replacement of entire faucet and 17" stem.

There is no access other than the hole into which the faucet and stem are extended to the outside.

It appears as though I can remove the unit by unscrewing the two wood screws that hold it to the outer wall, then unscrew the entire unit by twisting it.

I'll use teflon tape and screw in the Woodford 17CP.

Question ... how will I know if the screwed in 17CP is leaking or not inside the wall? Do I have to wait to see whether it leaks and runs out inside the house or is there some clever way of knowing whether I have a leak-less fit?

Thanks

[junkcollector]

I would be leary about wrenching on the faucet without restraining the rest of the plumbing inside. To do it properly you will need to use two wrenches, one on the faucet assembly, and one on the pipe fitting that I presume is sweated on the copper pipe.

I don't see why you don't feel the need be able to see the joint, to make sure that it is not leaking.

A small drywall patch is a lot cheaper fix than an unknown leak inside the ceiling.

Just my opinion.