Ask Me Help Desk

Ask Me Help Desk (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forum.php)
-   Plumbing (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=259)
-   -   Leaky angle valves (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=726966)

  • Jan 11, 2013, 05:16 PM
    YT195
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ma0641 View Post
    Relatively easy job, even for a newbie. Turn the house water off, relieve the pressure. Using a pipe cutter, cut the valve off as close to the stop as possible. Get some emery cloth, also in any plumbing dept. and LIGHTLY sand the pipe to remove any old solder. Slide the compression fitting on and tighten the nut while holding the valve body with another wrench. Make it tight. Turn the water on and tighten more if it drips. Sometimes you have to put some good torque on to stop the drip if there is any solder remnant. Let us know how well you did!

    Thanks for your words and tips! I'm getting my nerve up! LOL. I'm actually just gathering as much info as possible, hope to tackle the job in the next few days or so.
  • Jan 11, 2013, 05:40 PM
    mygirlsdad77
    FYI. Sharkbite is a brand of "push fit fittings". Push fit fitting is the actuall name of the style of fitting. Many brands out there these days. I still call then all sharkbites too, but there are gatorbite, tectite, etc, etc.

    I think maybe some of the confusion as to whether they are allowed by most codes is because the code books call them push fit fittings, not by namebrand. I believe push fits are allowed (even in concealed areas, not to my approval, but I digress) under most every code in the states.

    PS. Didn't think anyone but Mark could answer that one, huh Harold? LoL.
  • Jan 11, 2013, 06:43 PM
    hkstroud
    Push fits, huh;

    Thanks

    Quote:

    PS. Didn't think anyone but Mark could answer that one, huh Harold? LoL
    I guess it just that I been picking at Mark lately.
  • Jan 11, 2013, 07:04 PM
    massplumber2008
    1 Attachment(s)
    That's Ok, Harold, not sensitive in any way! Just more Boston snowballs to throw at you!
  • Jan 13, 2013, 10:14 AM
    YT195
    Wells guys just a little bit of an update so to speak. No, I haven't done the job yet, just because my stop isn't leaking at the moment and hasn't since I tried to turn off the supply at the stop and once I turned it back to on, it stopped leaking. In any event, I went to Lowe's this morning LATE, 11am or so. I am usually an early bird, but my wife who has been ill was just starting to feel better and I went into work yesterday at 5am and didn't get home until nearly 8pm. So I figure I have better luck with the associates at Lowe's rather than a tiny (and I mean TINY) little Home Depot closest to my home. I get ZERO help at Lowe's, leave the store with a "Keeney" 1/4 turn compression stop and NOTHING else. They had no small pipe cutter or emery paper for that matter! What? I end up at the tiny Home Depot and this kid (20 something) comes up and gives me the BEST help I have ever gotten in that store. Got a Brasscraft stop, one of the small pipe cutters that is round and fits into tight spots and a push on type pipe cleaner. I was very impressed with his knowledge and he was just helping one after the other with speed and accuracy. So, I'm good to go, just need to find a day that the ladies will be out and I will tackle this so I can shut off the water to the house.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 10:21 AM
    mygirlsdad77
    Hey, thanks for the update. We all appreciate that. Now, Im starting to wonder if you even need to replace the stop. I assumed it was leaking through the valve (not shutting off completely). But now it sounds like it was leaking from the packing nut. If it is merely leaking at the packing nut you can simply tighten the nut. Go back and look at the pics in previous post's to see the packing nut. Put a backup on the valve body, and snug the nut up. Problem solved. No need to replace the valve at this point.

    And hey, glad to hear you got that kind of service at the depot. Very rare experience for sure.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 10:24 AM
    hkstroud
    Quote:

    just need to find a day that the ladies will be out
    That is a very wise decision.

    Quote:

    just because my stop isn't leaking at the moment and hasn't since I tried to turn off the supply at the stop and once I turned it back to on, it stopped leaking
    Does that mean that the leak is (was))around the stem? A quick scan of this thread and I don't see where you said where the leak was.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 10:26 AM
    mygirlsdad77
    My thoughts exactly Harold. I really think this is simply a "tightening of the packing nut" job.

    See post #26. I think we were answering at the same time. Greats minds...
  • Jan 13, 2013, 10:47 AM
    hkstroud
    Quote:

    Greats minds...
    Huh!

    You would have thought that one us would have been smart enough to ask where the leak was.

    It's all Brian's fault.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 11:11 AM
    YT195
    Thanks again guys, but I did try tightening the packing nut. ( I have done this to the outside spiggot and one other inside my home) It made no real difference, she was TIGHT. In fact I have only turned off this stop one other time, to replace the tank fill valve about 3 or 4 years ago. In fact, I was thinking of doing this again when I heard running water and reached for the valve, saw the leaking vavle and that's when I remembered to just try and replace the flapper first. I believe Marks explanation of my plumber sweating these valve stops in place with the internals and knobs there makes the most sense. We are not a family to turn these things on and off, they get very little use. It makes no sense to me, why she would leak when I went into the off position and doesn't leak in the on? Can anyone possibly explain this to me?
  • Jan 13, 2013, 11:22 AM
    YT195
    One other thing about SOME of the other angle stops in my house. I have noticed that one or two of them, maybe three, don't completely shut the water off to a FULL stop. I can see ever the slightest of water still come up out of the pipe. I have only tried tightening the current angle stop packing nut. These stops again have seen very little use, and they are ALL multi turn stops, NONE are 1/4 turn stops.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 11:23 AM
    hkstroud
    It happens. When valve is all the way open The seat probably helps seal around the stem. When valve is closed the back pressure from the supply tube causes it leak around the stem. If you flushed the toilet with the valve closed the leak would have stopped. I've seen valves do that more than once. Leak in the partially open position and stop when fully opened.

    Just for grins hold the valve with a pair of pliers and try turning the nut 1/8 turn. Everything has it limits and some times it just won't tighten anymore.

    No doubt that the valves that don't turn off completely need to be replaced.
    Not to worry, once you have done one, the rest are a piece of cake.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 11:30 AM
    YT195
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    It happens. When valve is all the way open The seat probably helps seal around the stem. When valve is closed the back pressure from the supply tube causes it leak around the stem. If you flushed the toilet with the valve closed the leak would have stopped. I've seen valves do that more than once. Leak in the partially open position and stop when fully opened.

    Just for grins hold the valve with a pair of pliers and try turning the nut 1/8 turn. Everything has it limits and some times it just won't tighten anymore.

    Harold, I believe this is what happened in my case, so should I TRY tightening the packing nut some more? I didn't want to tighten it anymore than it was because believe me when I say, it was and felt TIGHT when I had my crescent wrench on it.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 11:36 AM
    hkstroud
    If you hold the valve while your are trying to tighten the nut, you can't hurt anything. Either it will or it won't tighten anymore, doesn't take but about 1/8 turn.
  • Jan 13, 2013, 11:49 AM
    YT195
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    If you hold the valve while your are trying to tighten the nut, you can't hurt anything. Either it will or it won't tighten anymore, doesn't take but about 1/8 turn.


    OK, will try this in a few, lunch is calling!

  • All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:19 AM.