How do I replace the water shut off valves in my laundry room?
Question:the installers for my new washer and dryer said that the gasket is leaking and they should be "re-packed" by a professional or replaced. And no, they didn't offer to do it for a fee. This looks pretty easy to do. Is is really as easy as going and getting new valve stems, shutting the main water off and replacing them?
Answers:
It may be easier to just change the valves. That is as long as you have a separate valve with a separate handle for the hot and cold water. All you should need is a wrench and some thread sealant. There are exceptions to the standard threaded (silcock) washing machine spicket. Make sure it is not welded or soldered. Check to see if there are threads at the base of the spicket. If it is threaded there are generally two sizes (3/4 and 1/2 inch). You may want to buy both kind in case its hard for you to determine the size.
You will still have to shut the main water. Remove the old valves with a wrench, apply the thread sealant (Pipe dope or thread tape) to the root threads of the new spiket and tighten it in with the wrench.
i would think so just turn the main water off then cut the pipe and replace what you cut off of the pipe and put the new vale in,use pipe glue. but if the pipe is metal do the same thing but you will have to weld or solder the pipe together. just go to your local hardware store and tell them what you are doing then the will set you up with the supplies.
There is one other thing you can try, if the valves are the kind that have a packing nut, try tightening it a little at a time untill it stops leaking. If they don't have the separate packing nut, you can always stick a pot under the leak, quite often when a valve that hasn't been turned in a long time is opened/closed the packing will leak for a while, sometimes it will re-seal on its own, if you leave it alone a couple of weeks but no gaurantees. You can always replace if this doesn't work.
Honey,will cost you $8.75 for valve and if is leaking from solder extra sweet $120.00.Plus drywall and paint ting.
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