But managed to close it but prob now is it won't open it just keeps spinning please help

Hi Tammie...

Sorry to say, but it sounds like you touched an older style gate valve shutoff and now the stem going to the handle is broken and the whole shutoff will need to be replaced... *UGH*

Here, it really isn't your fault as much as it is a defect in the design of the older stem assembly... newer shutoffs are not designed like this... ;)

Call a plumber or a handy friend and see what they can do. It is not usually a big job to fix this, OK?

Good luck!

Mark

I know how I can replace it... but do I have to drain out the whole of the tank in the loft??
Thank you for your reply

See if there is a shutoff at the water heater (or heating tank) and if there is you can probably just shut the cold water shutoff and drain the hot water pipes only. If there is no shutoff at the water tank and there is no other shutoff between the defective shutoff and the loft tank, then yeah, you will probably need to drain the tank in the loft!

Mark

Ok I think I have sussed it... but is there another way to get the valve open till I can replace it??


Tam

Not really... valve is broken. However, if someone there is real handy then they can try to disassemble the valve and pull the stem out, but that could cause more issues than it is worth!

Lmao thought not... Thanks again for your help x

Good luck!