Can this home water shut off valve be rebuilt?
fassbinder
| Posted in General Discussion on
Before I replace the entire valve, I am wondering if this old valve can be rebuilt? It is the main water shut off for a home. It was installed around the mid ‘70‘s. It has been stuck in the open position for years now. I have another shut off valve I have been using but would like to get this one rebuilt or replaced. I’m not a fan of wheeled valves but if it can be rebuilt that’s ok. Thanks Tom ps I was told that you would have to match the make/model of the valve to do this. I’ve no idea what make this is. The only marking I see is the “T”.
Replies
Replace it with a ball valve. It's a gate valve, there's not much that can be rebuilt. If it's not a gate or ball valve, it should be a ball valve. Gate valves work OK usually.
Possibly some acid around the shaft will free it up to usable condition.
Your biggest problem might be getting the valve at the street turned off enough so it is not leaking.
I had a similar problem and I had a heluva time getting the water to stop dripping. Once I did get it off I was able to loosen the strapping where the pipe made the turn at the top and pull it out of the valve, once we got it heated up.
You have to do the curb stop thing anyway, so might as well do it right and install a new (ball) valve.
But if the valve you have is a semi-conventional globe valve (doesn't look exactly like one, but I don't know what else it might be) then it maybe can be disassembled and the faucet washer and packings replaced. (The components should be relatively standard.)
The street valve isn't a problem. I have one of those tools that reach into the meter pit to do a shutoff. It stops the flow completely.
I might just try cleaning it up, getting something in there to possibly loosen it up, then attach a new wheel .
I hadn't tried cleaning it at all.
I was hoping to leave the line intact without a cut.
Thanks
The trick of loosening the strapping on the horizontal run at the top will help if you do end up cutting into the line. Then you can get the wiggle room to seat a 3/4" sweat connector for the last joint.
Here is hoping you can just get apart, clean and back together again.
Even if the valve could be rebuilt you'd spend more money chasing parts than it would cost to hire plumber to fix it right. Or, if it's 3/4" or so you could forget the solder and use a Sharkbite ball valve.
double wrench it
Turn off the water, put a wrench on the valve body and another on the packing nut and the packing nut should loosen. That, in turn, should allow you to rotate and/or remove the valve stem.
Depends on the valve, but all you might need for a repair is a wire brush to clean things up, some packing string (depending on the type of packing), and perhaps some lube.
Clean everything up, put it together again, and there you go.
When you take the valve apart, you might find that the stem has snapped. That can happen if the inside of the valve gets gunked up with mineral deposits and someone tries to turn the valve. The stem gives way and the stem itself snaps.
I'd have a replacement ball valve and whatever bits/pieces/tools are needed on hand when you do the repair. If the valve can't be repaired, then replace it with the new valve. If the valve can be repaired, then you can return the ball valve to the place of purchase.
Got it working.
I dripped a vinegar solution on it for a couple days.
It turns easily, but squeaks. Still has the very slow leak it had before.
I'm ok with it for now, No luck finding replacement parts. I might try rebuilding it once I've got a good idea of what's involved.