Can't find shut off valves

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Littlebrook

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Hi,

I am thinking about changing my kitchen faucet but when I looked under the sink, I noticed that the supply lines do not have shut off valves. I followed the pipes down through the basement and cannot see shutoffs anywhere along the line. The hotwater appears to run straight from the water heater (no shut off) and the cold appears to come from the main water meter line. There is a shutoff on the line feeding the water heater but not one coming out of it.

What's the best way to go about changing the faucet? Should I just shut off the main valve at the water meter and open the faucet until all the water drains?

Also, is there such a thing as a supply stop valve that would screw into the end of the lines rather than require soldering?

Thanks
 
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Gary Swart

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It amazes me when people plumb without shutoff valves. Best thing to do is fix it now. There really should be a main shutoff valve where the water line enters the house. There should be one for each toilet, each hot and cold line to bath tubs/showers, wash basins and sinks. You imply that your lines are copper but you apparently do not know how to sweat a copper joint. Stop valves for sinks and toilets can be installed with compression fittings, but the ball valve for the main shutoff as far as I know, must be sweat. Many plumber prefer and use compression fittings for supply valve installations.
 

Littlebrook

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I do have a shut off valve on the main water supply from the street which I guess I will use to shut off water to the whole house.

Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that whoever built my house back in the 60's had some strange ideas regarding plumbing. The whole house is copper plumbing but very few shut offs were installed. Only the hose bibs, toilets, and washer lines have shut offs. I had to have shutoffs installed for the shower and under the bathroom sinks, and only because those lines were leaking and needed replacement anyway. Now it is time for the kitchen and again, no shut offs.

From waht I can see, it looks like the copper lines come out of the floor and have some sort of female adapter solders to the ends. I think the male connectors from the current faucet are 1/2 or 3/8 inch. Are there shut off valves that would screw into the female fitting? or will I have to cut the ends off and use a compression fitting?

Thanks
 

Jadnashua

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Yes, you can buy valves to screw onto that fitting. You will need either some pipe dope and/or some teflon tape to seal the threads (some use both!) when you install the shutoff. Compression fittings on the outlet do not use anything, they seal by compressing the parts together (when installed properly).
 

WV Hillbilly

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Got a good laugh out of that one . Years ago I was installing a shutoff valve in my water line where the black poly connected to the house . A friend was helping / watching me . I told him I would loosen the clamps & pull the pipe off & he could hold his hand over the end of the pipe while I installed the valve . He seemed very doubtful but I told him there was only 40 pounds of pressure on it & surely he could hold 40 pounds couldn't he ? He decided he probably could hold 40 pounds so I pulled it off & handed it to him . You should have seen him trying to hold his hand over the end of that pipe .
 

hj

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of course

A good plumber can install a new faucet, drain, valve or pipe with the water on.

And firemen at their contests hook up one hose and turn the water on while the rest of the crew is attaching the next sections of hose. Works great, until someone stumbles and everyone gets soaked.
 

Redwood

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A good plumber can install a new faucet, drain, valve or pipe with the water on.

And firemen at their contests hook up one hose and turn the water on while the rest of the crew is attaching the next sections of hose. Works great, until someone stumbles and everyone gets soaked.

I did quite a few of those firemen competitions in my younger days.

They were a lot of fun... It was definitely a Pass/Fail event with nothing in between and the winner selected on fastest time. Everyone had to do their part and get it right without any concern about anyone else. If everyone got their part done before the water hit the connection they had to make there was success. If someone blew it, you get wet and shut down fast.

Some of the competition is downright radical!


Crazy Firefighter Hose Laying Competition Video.


Crazy firefighter Ladder Competition Video


This Video is More Like the Competition I was in.
 
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