Shut Off Valve leaking

rspainhower · Sep 24, 2005

I installed some plumbing lines yesterday. All of the joints are good however I am getting a drip from all of the Valves I installed. The joint I sweated is not leaking but it is coming from a washer on the valve.(see picture). I Tightened all of them and one stopped leaking but the other 2 are still leaking. Should I Crank it more or should I put some plumbers putty in or what?

hj · Sep 24, 2005

joint

Putty, nor anything else, will seal it if the joint has been damaged. If the joint was not assembled at an angle, then tightening should stop the leak, unless it has already been overtightened, in which case you have to do it all over again.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Dunbar Plumbing · Sep 24, 2005

What type of supply lines did you use?

Terry · Sep 24, 2005

A flexible supply will have it's own fiber seal that meets the end of the threads on the stop. Nothing more is needed.

Any foreign substance could cause a leak there.

If you are using a solid riser with the compression sleeve, you would at the most use something like WD40 but nothing more.

Jimbo · Sep 24, 2005

Whether you have smooth copper tube or the braided flex lines, I tighten snug by hand, then 1/2 turn by wrench. This is usually enough, but can go another 1/2 turn if necessary. With both types of connector, overtightening is likely to cause a leak. Might be necessary to replace the tube, and if it is a metal tube, use a new ferrule.

TheZster · Sep 25, 2005

jimbo said:
Whether you have smooth copper tube or the braided flex lines, I tighten snug by hand, then 1/2 turn by wrench. This is usually enough, but can go another 1/2 turn if necessary. With both types of connector, overtightening is likely to cause a leak. Might be necessary to replace the tube, and if it is a metal tube, use a new ferrule.

Just installed 5 of these puppies with flexible SS lines.... and on 4 of them, Jimbo's method worked great.... on the 5th, it seems the threads might have been a bit rough - while I "thought" it was seated... it ended up taking a full 2 turns to stop dripping. All's been well since ( 4 weeks).

Jimbo · Sep 25, 2005

Good job! I understand your comment exaclty, and this is one of the many situations where there is no substitute for the "feel" that comes after doing something a few hundred times!

sanaka · Sep 25, 2005

I absoultely hate those kind of valves, and suggest ditching them right now, while it would still be not such a big deal. Even when they don't leak immediately upon installation, just shut off and turn on your toilet about 5 times. Especially the kind with the already attached cheezy flex riser. I've never seen one of these that didn't at least seem like it was about to leak.

Sorry for the rant, but I'd rather have a big ugly ball valve that is reliable.

Peace,
Sanaka

rspainhower · Sep 26, 2005

Like I said the connection is copper to valve sweat. And it is not this sweat joint that is leaking. I got all three installed and turned the water on and came back to check them all 3 were leaking from that washer I am pointing to in this picture. I tightened all of them down so the washer would be tighter and 2 of them stopped leaking but the third is still leaking. What can I do?

Plumber1 · Sep 26, 2005

leak

Can't imagin why it's so difficult.
If your talking about a plastic reinforced flex supply, sounds like you over tighten things. you should just run that compression nut finger tight and then just set it with a wrench. Don't tork it and don't cross thread it.

Mitchr · Sep 26, 2005

Try this

Does the valve leak without any flexible riser connected to it? If the valve leaks at that threaded connection where it goes into the actual valve body, replace with another style of valve.

rspainhower · Sep 26, 2005

Thank you mitchr. That is exactly what it is doing. There is no flexible supply attached. The valve is in the OFF position. Do I really have to replace this?

Mitchr · Sep 26, 2005

leaking shutoff

I do a lot of handyman work, but do not consider myself an expert. I am not familiar with the valve you have used, but it looks from the pic that maybe you could try unthreading that part, drying off the threads and applying some gray plumbers thread compound and then reassembling. Also, if the drip is not too bad, it may just stop over time. Around here we have hard water and a small leak may plug itself up with deposits in a short while. That's just my two cents worth.

Plumber1 · Sep 26, 2005

valve

If it leaks at that arrow, consider that that 3/8th compression is soldered into the stop and if you have more of the same kind of leak that it could be the manufacturers problem.

Sulconst2 · Sep 26, 2005

sounds to me that you sweated the shutoff without opening the valve. always use compresion. this way you dont burn valve, escutcheon, finish material, etc.

Shut Off Valve leaking

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