Home Repair: How to Supercede the Chief Shut Off Valve

Stop that drip for skilful

Introduction

Main water shutoff valves can get clogged with mineral deposits and dust, causing wearisome leaks. With the right materials and right procedure, it's a rubber and easy repair.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • three/4-in. ball valve
  • Leather washers

Shutoff Replacement Procedure

If you get drips of water coming through your pipes even with the main shutoff valve completely airtight, it'due south probably time to replace the shutoff with a new ball valve. Information technology'southward not complicated, just the house h2o volition be off, so information technology'southward a good idea to go your ducks in a row before y'all start.

Project step-by-step (iv)

Step 1

Clogged Valve

clogged water valve

Test the "street-side" valve where the water enters the house. Since that valve is simply as old, examination it to make sure it closes all the way and reopens again. Mineral deposits and tiny pieces of grit tin gradually build up in an old gate valve, making it impossible to fully close.  If that valve needs replacement, contact your water utility to shut off the main valve at the curb.

Pace 2

Loosen the Old Valve

loosen old water valve

Check out the electric organisation "bonding jumper" that runs from a clamp on the house side of the meter to a clamp on the street side. If yous can unscrew the quondam valve with the bonding jumper wire in identify, fine. If you lot can't, practise not disconnect information technology. The safe mode to piece of work around this trouble is to install a longer section of copper wire and two new clamps (6AWG for 100-amp service, 4AWG for 200-amp service). Then remove the short bonding jumper. At that point, you lot're set up to shut down the water and supervene upon the valve.

Shut off the street-side valve where the water enters the house. Then loosen the coupling nut and remove the nipple from the old valve. To remove the old valve, you lot'll have to disengage the coupling on the "house side" of the water meter. There's ordinarily an oil-impregnated leather sealing washer inside the coupling.

Stride 3

Install the New Valve

install new water valve

You probably accept a 3/iv-in. pipage leading to and from the leaky valve. Buy a threaded replacement ball valve; it's a far better selection than the older gate-fashion valve. Screw on the new ball valve, install the old nipple and the new leather washer (apply Teflon tape or piping dope on the threads). Tighten the coupling nut, turn on the h2o and check for leaks.

Originally Published: November 05, 2022