Water pipe in-line isolating valve.

Assuming you aren't talking about one of those little quarter-turn valves used to isolate a tap or washing machine etc., then the answer is clockwise when viewed from above.

If you are upside down, with your head inside a cupboard, stretching to reach the valve with your fingertips - it can be harder to work this out.

Thanks! :-)

And if it's not one of those quarter-turn valves (this one is isolating a shower) would it still be clockwise to turn it off?

It's not been used in the thirteen years I've been here and I really don't want to break anything by forcing it the wrong way.

Cheers,

Nick

There are two sorts of valves in genera uses. 'Gate valves which are like ordinary taps - screw down to shut. Clockwise.

And there are ball valves, which require a quarter turn in either direction.

open a tap in whatever it's feeding (or flush the toilet) and move it till the water noise stops

Thanks!

N.

Is this one with a screwdriver slot on the top? If so quarter turn such that the slot of the screw is perpendicular to the valve. Note that some valves will rotate freely in both directions, but some are constrained to a quarter turn, and so you will only be able to go clockwise when they are "on" and anticlockwise when "off"

And some that haven't been used in years will not move at all :(

And all such valves that haven't been used in years will develop a permanent leak round the spindle after being operated.

And if it does move the gland will then weep.

--Kempshott

Just like the Mock Turtle, said Alice.

Which MAY respond to being worked back and forward

Yup, they normally do IME. Buy decent quality full bore isolation valves, and they don't usually give any problem IME.

(In these parts, the hard water would probably fix any weeps in time anyway!)

I must admit that these last two remarks sum up a couple of the things that make me nervous. Those and the way the pipework is hanging in mid air and I'm not certain how much pressure the valve will need and how much pressure the pipe will put up with without compromising the joints (compression into the valve module, soldered into a short length of pipe either side. None of the other isolating valves around the house have been touched in years, either.

Maybe I ought to GALMI

Thanks,

Nick

Its been my experience that they don't seize up badly, but calcium build up can render them a bit unreliable in shut-off.

Yet another reason to install a water softener

Ah well... you can't get softer water than Huddersfield water and there's not a trace of limescale in anything. Maybe all the poo they keep chucking into the rivers has an undocumented beneficial effect?

I think I might have a look at some of the other inline valves around the house and see if there's one that looks a little safer to experiment with. (As you can tell, I've stll not decided what to do for the best and stll not plucked up the courage to try something which might have a potentially devastaing effect...)

Thanks,

Nick

It needn't be devastating. Just have a spare valve, for preference a full bore ball valve rather than the little screwdriver operated ones, and if there is a problem with the one you are using just turn the water main valve off and replace the offending valve.

But sadly, not if when previously opened, it was opened fully and is now jammed open.

Hint. Every time the clocks change in October, exercise your stopcocks. For horrible gate-valves, close fully, then reopen fully and then close down one turn. This allows bi-directional wiggling should it be stiff in future.

There is German word for what you might do: "Pilgerschritt" -- "Pilgrim's step"

-- two steps forward, one back -- couldn't find such a term in English. Grateful for any suggestions...

So, drop of oil/WD-40/spray-whatever on the spindle, just for good measure.

Then gently tighten until the resistance goes up, back off, tighten, back off, while muttering "easy there, come on"... and hoping the valve doesn't dribble even when as tight as you dare. This works the valve, and is less wince-inducing than just dropping a wrench on the handle and cranking it.

Thomas Prufer