newbie plumbing help

[Omegachi]

There is a slow leak coming from the stem of this main shut off valve that supplies water into my house. I want to replace it myself but I am not sure if the fittings connected to the shut off valve can be backed off and rethread to a new valve. I have no experience with soldering, so I hope this job don't involve that. Any plumping experts out there that can help me out with this?

this is what the valve looks like

close up of one of the fittings

 

[LTC8K6]

There's a stem seal. Replace it.

 

[skyking]

You will probably have to shut off the water at the meter, unless you have an additional shutoff upstream.
After that, try repacking the stem seal as suggested above.
If that fails, unscrew the big nut on the right. That is a union. After it is loose, you need to take the valve off the male adapter on the left. hopefully there is enough play in the lines for you to do this.
Take the male adapter/union assembly off the right and thread that onto your new valve.

 

[Omegachi]

if i take off the male adapter, can i reuse it on a new valve?

 

[skyking]

yes. The union is two pieces. One will stay with the pipe on the far right. The other will stay with the valve. After you unscrew the valve from the pipe on the left, you can take that assembly on the right out of the valve and install on the new valve.
I would still start with pulling the handle/packing nut and seeing about a new packing first. Much easier.

 

[Raizinman]

Turn water off. If this is your main water, find the water meter and turn off there.
Remove nuts under the handle. You will be removing the stem with the washer.
Take this part to Home Depot or Lowes. They will sell you the correct part.
Put back together.

 

[highland145]

Home Depot or Lowes

Local plumbing house may be more helpful and it's local $$.

 

[Joe C]

Just tighten the packing nut, the stem goes into it. There is nothing wrong with the valve.

 

[Orignal Earl]

You will probably have to shut off the water at the meter, unless you have an additional shutoff upstream.

Most meters in my area are after the main in.
If this was my house, he would have to get the city to turn off the city side valve.
Unless he can find the main valve hole in his lawn and reach down, I wouldn't recommend that though, there can be laws and such.
They use a special tool usually

 

[edro]

Switch it out to a ball valve.

 

[Jimzz]

Switch it out to a ball valve.

THIS!


The ball valve does not restrict like the old style the OP has. That and hold up better on average IMO.

 

[skyking]

Most meters in my area are after the main in.
If this was my house, he would have to get the city to turn off the city side valve.
Unless he can find the main valve hole in his lawn and reach down, I wouldn't recommend that though, there can be laws and such.
They use a special tool usually

Earl, on every meter setter I have installed there is a valve upstream of the meter flange.
It is on top on the left side of the image on the page. Unless it has a lock pin in it, you can shut it off.
http://stillwaterwatchdogs.com/2011/06/10/22460/

 

[TXHokie]

Just tighten the packing nut, the stem goes into it. There is nothing wrong with the valve.

I'd try this first. When I moved into my new (old) house, the valve that looks like this was leaking where it feeds my washing machine. I just tighten up the nut below the valve handle and the slow leak stopped.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Switch it out to a ball valve.

Indeed ball valves are better, but they are longer and would require the OP to solder, which he states he wants to avoid.

 

[JamesV]

I've done alot of plumbing work around the house, and hated it every single time. Just seems like something always goes wrong, like my latest toilet replacement will not refill the tank after you flush; have to push on a bar inside it. Just can't figure this out, about to get a new set of insides.

But... last year I redid all the outside faucets. Cut off the pipe, cleaned everything, cut new pipe and attached new faucets, then joined the pipes with solder. I thought this was going to be a nightmare, especially as the pipes are in the basement ceiling, but boy was that easy. Looked up some YouTube vids, and it literally only took me about 5 minutes per pipe.

Moral; don't worry about soldering. It may look complicated, but to me it's the easiest plumbing work I've ever done.

 

[highland145]

I've done alot of plumbing work around the house, and hated it every single time. Just seems like something always goes wrong, like my latest toilet replacement will not refill the tank after you flush; have to push on a bar inside it. Just can't figure this out, about to get a new set of insides.

Google and post a pic of what you're talking about.

 

[Jeffg010]

I've done alot of plumbing work around the house, and hated it every single time. Just seems like something always goes wrong, like my latest toilet replacement will not refill the tank after you flush; have to push on a bar inside it. Just can't figure this out, about to get a new set of insides.

But... last year I redid all the outside faucets. Cut off the pipe, cleaned everything, cut new pipe and attached new faucets, then joined the pipes with solder. I thought this was going to be a nightmare, especially as the pipes are in the basement ceiling, but boy was that easy. Looked up some YouTube vids, and it literally only took me about 5 minutes per pipe.

Moral; don't worry about soldering. It may look complicated, but to me it's the easiest plumbing work I've ever done.

If your toilet has the floating ball get rid of that and switch to this. The ball never lasted very long for me.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fluidmaster-Complete-Toilet-Repair-Kit-400AKRP10/100391762#.UUIaO6wfnls