Need help with shut-off valve

[roger61611]

The valves may have to be replaced, which is a bit of a pain. Is the white plastic thing the handle ?

[Harry K]

Unless the valve is corroded in place there is no need to cut with a hacksaw. Get a "basin wrench" at any hardware store, should be less than $10. Reach up and undo the pipe at the sink end, undo it at the valve end, undo valve and replace with a 1/4 turn ball valve. You may be able to just undo the pipe at the valve end if it can be turned without twisting the pipe. You will need to shut off the water leading to the valve before undoing the valve tho. This may mean turning off the entire house supply.

Harry K

[Fred]

Looks like you have a compression fitting and if that is the case you don't need a hacksaw Shut main off. With one wrenches on the valve body and the other on the nut, hold the wrench on the body stationary while rotate nut with the other wrench until its completely removed. Go easy and always use both wrenches so no twisting force is exerted on the pipe.

Better yet you don't need to unscrew the valve body. Your valve looks new and often you could just replace the stem. They don't sell you the stem so you buy the whole unit and interchange the stem.

[Fred]

I first saw this in 1980 on new track homes. Contractors love it, cheap and fast. The problem as homeowner is you have to replace both tube and valve when either one goes bad. Also the copper tube while flexible when new hardens with age and will break easily when time to replace the faucet.

[Colbyt]

Walter,

I have never seen one made quite like that before.

The good news is that it looks like a compression fitting. Meaning that the big nut closest to the wall will unscrew and allow you to replace the valve. In a normal situation the pipe going to the faucet is also a compression fitting. Here is a link to a picture of what I mean.

You can cut the pipe going to the faucet or disconnect it at the faucet. It will have to be replaced.

You can replace that pipe with a regular lavatory supply line made of metal, poly or braided flex covered. They can advise you wherever you buy the valve. Just have an approximate measurement from the bottom of the faucet to top of the cutoff valve.

colbyt

[Walter R.]

Yes, the white plastic thing is the handle on the shut-off valve.

Can I use a hacksaw to cut off the pipes leading to the faucet? Would that allow me to unscrew the valve?

[Walter R.]

When I turn off the shut-off valves under my laundry sink, there is water still leaking out of the faucets (when the faucets are open).

That makes it hard to repair the (also) leaking faucets above.

I took off the plastic handle but there seems to be no serviceable part inside the valve body.

Where might I find step by step instructions for replacing these valves? I cannot find any instructions in my (limited) plumbing books.

Here is what it looks like:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Harry K]

compression

pressure too

I have used several some buried and have never had a problem. I did find on PVC that repeated disconnection/connection could "work fit" pvc pipe, i.e., after several years of use on my irrigation pump, the PVC had significantly reduced in diameter. That use was for easy removal/install of pump annually. Where one of these shines is on work where you have to cut a pipe in a trench or limited access. Cut out section of pipe, insert new work having slid the two parts of the coupling onto it, slide together, tighten and done. Zero clearance needed if you can lift one of the pipe stub ends far enough to slide the coupling on.

Harry K

[toller]

It is unusual to find shutoff valves that work. I just replace two under my kitchen sink. I splurged and put in ball valves. Maybe the will work when i need them

Anyhow, is the pipe park of the valve, or does it screw im? If it screws in you can try to salvage it by disconneding the faucet end first. If fixed, the just cut it.

[Bill]

Hey Walter! It sounds like your cutoff valve seals are worn out since they wont shut off the water. You need to shut off the water coming into your house at the water meter or where the piping comes into your house or at the well pump...somehow you need to stop the flow of water into your house. Next, take that valve apart and replace all the o-ring seals and packing or alternatively, you can cut the valve out of the line and replace it with a new one. You can insert mechanical compression couplings in the line on both sides of the new valve where you had to cut out the old valve. Go the the supply house in your town that sells "waterworks pipe, valves and fittings" to your local water department or water line installation contractors. Plumbers call these fittings "Dresser Couplings" after one of the manufacturers but technically they are simply mechanical compression couplings. Typically, Home Depot and Lowes don't carry these fittings because most home owners aren't quite as "determined" as you are to cut the plumber out of the repair loop!

Double click on this web site:

Regards, Bill

[toller]

Writeup says that it does not prevent axial movement. I would hate to have the pipes just push apart; is that a problem, or is the axial pressure too small to worry about? It also says they are not for NG. Is there a similar product that does work on NG? I had to put my water heater up on blocks to get it to fit the existing pipes properly. (the utility has since been in (because the pilot light leaked, not because of my work) and said it was fine) It would have been nice to have a connector that had some slop into to get the spacing right. Does it come as a T?