as I was turning of the water I broke one of the knobs that you turn the water supply on and off with... Due to it was on their soo tight I broke it off. Is it easy to fix??
2007-04-23 10:37:47 · 5 answers · asked by brittv83 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Your best bet, is to replace the old valve with a new one. Depending on the type of pipes you have, will determine what type valve to purchase. If you have galvanized pipe, there is a steel pipe with threads, protruding from the wall. Turn off the water, drain any water in the pipe out, and unscrew the old valve. Use Teflon tape, and pipe joint compound, on the threads, to ensure no leaks, when you turn the water back on. If you have copper pipes, it could be a soldered joint, a screw joint, or a compression joint. If it is PVC, or CPVC pipe, it could be a threaded joint, a glued joint, or a compression joint. If it is PEX pipe, then it is a compression joint, or a screwed joint. Whichever type of pipe system you have, you can purchase a 1/4 turn valve, for about $5. It is very easy to turn the water off, with this type valve. Good luck!
2007-04-23 18:04:47 · answer #1 · answered by poppyman54 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After you replace the knob there are several things you can try.
1) Unscrew the packing nut about a turn or until it is loose but not completely unscrewed. The packing nut is the one closest to the knob. If the valve packing were leaking in the past, someone may have tightened this up until the stem would no longer turn.
That person probably should have added some more packing, which you can get at a Home Depot type of a store.
2) If it is hot water, or if you have really hard water, you might have some solids that have built up on the valve stem. You could try hitting it with some penetrant oil and letting it sit for 10-15 minutes. If it is still hard hit it with some more. Hopefully eventually it will losten up.
Oh, if you can't find a knob you can always try a vice-grip. Careful with the amount of force you use since this would be a way of breaking the valve internally.
Good Luck!
2007-04-23 19:00:38 · answer #2 · answered by Coach 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If it is just the knob, then yeah, it should be easy to fix. There will be a screw in the center of the knob, unscrew it, pull the rest of the knob off and replace it, put the screw back in and go for it.
If it's the stem on the valve then you might want to get a plumber, if you still want to do it yourself, then you will have to kill the water at the main supply to the house, and undo the old valve and install a new one. It most likely will be a threaded fitting, so get some teflon thread tape and put a cople of turns on the threads before you screw the new valve on. The ball valves are a better choice, but then you would want to change both of them to make them the same. good luck
2007-04-23 18:43:58 · answer #3 · answered by Fordman 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
if you just broke the knob, get a new knob, if you broke the stem off, you most likely have to replace the valve, go back to the store and get a ball vavle instead of the one you already have.
shut the water off at the main and cut the new valve in. to learn how to sweat a new valve in, go to a question I answer about sweating pipe about ten mins ago.
2007-04-23 17:46:04 · answer #4 · answered by sean s 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I assume you used your pliars to shut off the water. Just buy another turner or lever and smack it on there making sure it's on there tight. Your nearest hardware store will have one of those.
2007-04-23 18:24:34 · answer #5 · answered by sophieb 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋