I inspected a house this morning that is a 2 story house build on a slab. We had our fist snowfall and I can’t see the ground…homeowner not at inspection, nor was buyer. What is this connected to the sillcock? Is this an irrigation system? I presume it’s this way since it was added after construction and since house is on a slab there was no other way to do it…
Yes, it’s a backflow preventer for an irrigation. However, it should be tapped into the main directly using 3/4 or larger size pipe, not a frost-free garden hose spigot. The spigot is rarely a full-port and will restrict flow, causing low pressure issues with the irrigation system. Looks like homeowner special, hope the seller winterized it. The irrigation systems are rarely inspected as they are not part of SOP (unless it’s something state specific).
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Thanks. I called that out in the inspection. I recommended it be disconnected from the hose bib for the winter, drained and winterized…betting it wasn’t even drained prior to our 10 degree temps.
Your recommendation could be confusing/misleading if that is exactly what you put in the report, perhaps referring to the backflow alone. Draining the backflow is only part of it. The lines have to be blown out with a high volume air compressor, the backflow preventer could be left outside if winterized correctly. Besides any recommendation I would definitely recommend getting a licensed irrigation contractor to winterize it correctly. You don’t want them to blame you when they don’t do it or don’t do it right.
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I’ll clarify my recommendation. I meant draining (see low point with drain valve), winterizing (blowing out lines). The removal from the hose bib is to keep it from freezing within the bib. Even though we typically have frost proof sillcocks here, they can still freeze when a hose (or something like this) is still connected. Appreciate the fast feedback!
Simon has it right on. 
Thanks guys. I was pretty sure it was irrigation, just an odd set up and less than ideal from my POV