shut off valve repair

[joshhudm]

Hello, when we purchased our house we had an issue with the hose bib. So when we went to turn the shut off valve the handle pretty much disintegrated in my hand. So we have been living here for the past three years. Now I'm looking into fixing it and all the plumbers are saying to replace the whole thing with a ball joint one. While I agree they also want be to remove the kitchen cabinets... Which isn't happening. Does anyone know how I can just replace the guts? When I close the shut off valve it leaks and water shoots out the shaft that is sticking out in the pictures. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[mrcaptainbob]

Ball valve replacement....

While I agree a ball valve would be a great replacement, it may not be all that necessary. It looks like a lot is going on there, what with each joint so close to another. Shut off the whole house water and let the pressure off by opening that hose bib and and some other faucet, like the kitchen sink. Get a wrench that nicely fits that hex nut and unscrew it. It would be helpful to get a new handle and fit it on that stem, too. Take those guts to the local hardware store or to Home Depot or such and talk with the guy there. You'll need a new washer on the end and a new packing around the valve stem. Reinstall it and gently snug down the hex until it does not drip. Don't over tighten. That should last many years and be far cheaper and far easier.

[joshhudm]

Thanks, my only issue is the the stem is kind of pinched. Any way I can replace that too?

[HayZee518]

valve

once you get the bonnet off, the stem will go with it. match the threads up to a new valve. Buy the whole thing if you have to! your pix makes the valve look like a globe valve, that is, using a stem washer and seat. It's much too small to be a gate valve. Use a wrench with flats. Don't use a channel lock. You'll strip the brass before you even budge the bonnet. As a last resort use a pipe wrench about 12 or 14 inches.

[joshhudm]

Yeah does look like a globe valve. The nut was actually somewhat lose.. when i closed the valve it started leaking pretty bad even when i opened it back up... when i tightened the nut it actually stopped... but starts again if i close it.. im going to give this a shot tonight or tomorrow and will give you a heads up when i finish up.. hopefully it doesnt involve a call to the plumber.

[Xfitter71]

That's a globe valve for sure. It has a direction arrow, a gate valve doesn't have that. Since they're normally used to regulate flow, I wonder why it was put behind dry wall where you couldn't get to it.

[joshhudm]

Damn shut off at the street is rusted shut.

[HayZee518]

shut off

now it becomes the town's problem.

[joshhudm]

i have them coming out monday to shut the water off so i can work on the valve... by good god is it hard to find a globe valve. None in Home Depot and im not seeing any at Lowes either. I was hoping to use the guts of a new one to replace the old, but im not having any luck. Does any one have any suggestions?

[HayZee518]

globe valve

try amazon dot com. I find two listed

[joshhudm]

seeing as i dont know the correct size i was hoping to get one in store.. but seems like that isnt going to happen.

[Xfitter71]

You need to find a piping contractor supply like HAJOKA. Google them to find the nearest one. If you're lucky, you might find that valve. You'll have to buy the valve, they won't sell parts I think. The plumber has his work cut out for him on that replacement, I don't envy him. Hard to tell but it looks to be 1" copper and it looks like it's been there a long time.

[joshhudm]

Ugh Im the 'plumber' seems pretty easy aside from finding the right parts lol.

[joshhudm]

So I have good news and probably not so good news. I packed the nut and the leaking completely stopped... The other news, even when closed it barely stops the water. Now I'm guessing I have to take that bigger nut off to get the stem out.

Now my next question is, are the chances I break that before getting it off? And is it even possible to get off.

[HayZee518]

bonnet gland nut

it is very possible to get that part of the valve but it'll take a lot of oomph.
that's why I suggested a fourteen inch pipe wrench.
a "monkey" wrench or a large adjustable may work better and you stand less a chance of stripping the red brass.
there's a thin fiber gasket between the two "bodies" - don't break it.
thread is regular right hand thread