plumbing valve question

[J]

Yesterday I replaced my kitchen faucet and in doing so I needed to turn off the water at the valve under the sink. After I was done I noticed the cold water valve has developed a small drip which it wasn't before.

If you look at this image

you can see where the red arrow points to where the drip is occurring. It isn't wet in the picture because I wiped off the water to try to find the specific source. It appears that it is coming from around the stem.

My question is does the valve come apart by unscrewing where the red arrow points and is a general replacement valve part or is this more serious in that the pipe needs to be cut and a new valve soldered in?

Also in this image

I'm curious as to what this knob does?

and finally all the green covering the valve, does that indicate a high concentration of something in my water?

Thanks alot !!

[avid_hiker]

Yes that part of the valve comes apart. Try tightening that nut a bit first though, this might stop your drip. If not, then under that nut is an rubber o'ring which you can find at your local hardware shop. Close the valve, then Take the handle off by unscrewing the screw on the from of handle, then it comes right off. Then loosen the nut on valve, and you will find that o'ring. Very simple fix.

Dont concern yourself of it, its normal with brass, your valve should be fine.

Dean

[professorpaul]

That fitting can likely be tightened down SLIGHTLY, and that will control the "drip." There is packing under that bonnet. This is a common problem. As to the other fitting, it is a bleed cap, used to get air out of the system. You might want to replace the packing... small packages in the plumbing department. Either the graphite or teflon types work fine. Handy stuff to have around for just his sort of thing. It looks like little pieces of string. Just wrap it around the valve stem, and put the bonnet back on. It is easier if you remove the valve handle.

HOWEVER, that valve seems pretty corroded. I would give serious thought to putting in a new valve. They are cheap enough. Of course, pull the new valve apart before you solder, so as to avoid destroying the seals.

[scott21230]

If you replace the valve, put in a ball valve in order to avoid this problem in the future.

[Steve Barker LT]

the little cap in pic #2 is a drain back. After turning the valve off, you remove that cap and it allows the downstream side to be "drained back" to empty it.

[scott21230]

That may be true, but I always thought that those things were for connecting up a pressure gauge.

[J]

Thanks , tightening the nut did the trick. It's good to know that I can replace parts of the valve before the actual valve itself, I'm sure that knowledge will come in handy someday.

[J]

Thanks. I tightened the nut and the drop stopped.

That's good to know, I will be replacing it at some point so I'm glad you mentioned that because I wouldn't of thought of that.

thanks

[J]

Thanks

[J]

Interesting, Thanks !!!