Main water valve broken - please help?

Question

I turned the water off the other night to fit a new washing machine, when i've tried to turn the water back on, the valve on the main just keeps turning and turning, and won't switch anything back on. Is this just a case of replacing the valve or is it a more complicated (and expensive) job?

Answer 1

When you say the "main" valve, are you refering to the shut off to the whole house? Is it the hose bibb behind the washing machine? Where is it located? The valve you are describing is a gate valve, so named, because, as you turn the wheel, the stem is a screw connected to the gate, that rises and lowers, as you turn the wheel clockwise, or counter-clockwise. It sounds as though the gate has come loose from the stem. This type valve is primarily used to completely turn off the whole house, where as a hose bibb is used where a hose can be attached. Either one can be replaced, the question is "Where is it located?", and what type of pipe is it attached to, and how is it attached? A main shut off valve has a brass body with either threads on both incoming and outgoing ports, for steel or galvanized pipe, or smooth ports, for soldering on to a copper pipe, or compression nuts on both ports, for installing the valve on copper or plastic pipe. A hose bibb, has an inlet that attaches to the pipe that supplies the water, and a hose connection, in order for your hose from the washer, to connect to the valve. A main shut off, will turn everything off, and a hose bibb will only shut off the item that is connected to the other end of the hose. If it is the main valve, then you will have to turn off the corporation stop, located directly upstream of your water meter. If it is the hose bibb, then all you need to turn off is the main valve, thus "killing" the water to the house. Open all the faucets, to bleed off any pressure, and replace the hose bibb, by turning the wrench counter-clockwise. Install the new hose bibb, by cleaning the threads with a wire brush, apply some teflon tape, or pipe joint compound to the threads, and screw the new hose bibb on clockwise. If it is the main valve, depending on its location, might require some digging, or pipe cutting. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Answer 2

I did something like this about 3 months ago. The valve I turned off broke on the inside and would not let the water come back through the line into the house. What I had to do was turn off the city side of the water and replace the valve on my side of the meter and glue in new a one. The valve cost about $3 and the glue about $4. I knew a little and the guys at Home Depot were able to give me pointers before I started and I put it in myself. Try DIY .com, they might be able to show you how to do this. If you have plumber do it for you watch for padded rates. Good Luck.

Answer 3

A few years ago the same thing happened to me. We could not shut the water off at the curb,at 8 feet below the grass line, as the tube leading to the deep down shut off valve had filled with dirt over the years. My brother was a master plumber and had a trick up his sleeve that he had used a few times for the same problem. My wash room was un finished so we decided to rough it. I held a five gallon bucket up side down over the valve while my brother removed the old valve. I deflected the water back to the floor while he screwed on the replacement valve while it was open, allowing the high pressure cold water to pass on through. We both got wet, but the new valve was in place. Electrolysis action had eroded the original valve stem away until it got so week that it snapped off. If you can, shut the water off at the curb stop, hire a plumber to do this for you.

Answer 4

You have a broken gate valve. Very common. You will need to shut the water off at your meter and drain the water out of the house. Cut out the old valve and replace it with a ball valve. If you cannot solder they have compression valves available too that will work with a few turns of the wrench. or there are threaded ones depending on the way its set up.

Answer 5

you will need to find the stop **** before that one, oft in your garden or the street out side your house. most hardware (non diy shed) stores will sell a turn key for about £15.

this valve remains the property of the water board so be carefull.

hopefully there will be a little play in the pipe at the point where the faulty stop **** is so that when you loosen the nuts you can drop a new on in.

bear in mind that you will have water sitting in the pipes after the valve that will be forced through by gravity- so have lots of bin liners to hand to catch the water.

you can do it your self but be patient

just edited this to add that **** is yahoo filtering the word (male chicken)

Answer 6

Check to make sure that the screw in the middle of the handle is tight. The handle needs to be on tight since it grabs the ridged stem that opens and closes the valve. If it is on tight but keeps spinning, you probably have stripped those ridges.
****IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF A PROBLEM CALL A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL!! If in doubt leave it alone!
That being said, if you're feeling qualified, you can try removing the handle and using a small pair of pliers to turn the stem (replace that screw that held the handle on first though!)
That stem should be replaced by a pro, but that should get you back on track for the night.
Remember Left to loosen (Open) and right to tighten (Close)
Lefty-Loosey, Righty- Tightey as they say!

Answer 7

Turn house supply stopcock off out side the house, drain the cold water in the house , replace the valve, cost about £5.00, if you do it your self , plumber about £45.00 for a ten minute job

Answer 8

Call a plumber, because they are going to have to shut the water off at the street to be able to replace the valve.

If they cannot shut off the water, the plumber can freeze the pipe and replace it that way,

You can also call the water department and they will come out to shut it off and you can do it yourself.

I personally wouldn't mess with it unless you already had the water shut off because if you screw something up and it starts to leak there is no way for you to shut it off!

Answer 9

are you talking about the valve at the meter if you are then call your water company they will replace it.....if it's the valve were the hose go then all you need is a pipe wrench and new valve...

Answer 10

You just need to replace the valve.