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Both the hot and cold water emergency cut off for valves for the washing machine are frozen in the open position.. No matter what I try I can't get them to budge.. The valves are connected to house water system CPVC piping behind the wallboard. I am afraid that I might break the piping if I apply to much pressure trying to free them.. Can I just put a second valve (that works) to the outputs of the frozen valves and let that be my emergency shut offs?
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Hi there!
It sounds like those valves have been stuck for a while, and I get why you'd be hesitant to force them, especially with CPVC piping behind the wall. Adding a second set of shutoff valves downstream could work as a temporary solution, but ideally, the original valves should be replaced at some point to avoid future issues.
Before going that route, have you tried gently heating the valve bodies with a hairdryer or applying penetrating oil (if they’re metal)? Sometimes that can help loosen them up. Also, are they standard compression or ball valves? If they’re old gate valves, they can be more prone to seizing up over time. -
Here is a picture of the valve/type that is frozen and the brass valve I asked about replacing them with..Comment
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It looks like you’ve got a quarter-turnball valve with a red lever that’s stuck in the open position. These valves are generally reliable, but if they haven’t been operated in a long time, they can seize up. Let me suggest a few things you could try with those frozen valves first. Since they're ball valves, they can sometimes get stuck due to mineral buildup or corrosion. Try spraying some penetrating oil (like WD-40 or Liquid Wrench) around the stem and let it sit for a few hours. You could also try carefully applying heat with a hair dryer to help break up any mineral deposits, just be careful not to overheat the valve or nearby CPVC. Sometimes gently tapping the valve handle with a rubber mallet while applying slight turning pressure can help break it free too.
If none of those work, then yes, adding the new brass valves inline would be a viable solution. Just make sure to use thread tape or pipe sealant on the connections, and when installing, hold the frozen valve steady with one wrench while tightening the new valve to avoid stressing the CPVC behind the wall. It's not the most elegant fix, but it's certainly safer than risking damage to the CPVC pipes by forcing those frozen valves.
Long term, you'll probably want to get those original valves replaced, but this will give you working shutoffs in the meantime. Let us know how it goes!
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