Repair defective shutoff valve but not shutoff supply?

[aaronml]

This post may cause forum members to ask if I am nuts, but here goes anyway!

I want to replace a bathroom sink faucet in a condo unit of a multi-unit building. There is no water shutoff for the unit, only a main supply shutoff for the entire building. If I have to shutoff the main supply, I will need to get a plumber.

The faucet does have under-sink shutoff valves, but the one for hot has little affect in slowing flow from the faucet. The valve stem is definitely turning when I turn the handle so I imagine that the the washer is disintegrated (though I would think that even without a washer the flow would be decreased more than it is).

Is there ANY half-way feasible method to control the water flow once I remove the packing nut and valve stem from the defective shutoff without shutting off at the main supply. I presume that opening all other fixtures in the unit (kitchen sink, bathtub, bathroom sink cold water, and let the toilet run by keeping the flapper open) will lessen the water pressure at the defective shutoff, but any other ideas?

 

[havasu]

Trying to deal with replacement without completely shutting down the water would be impossible. What would end up happening is you would be stuck in a position of having an open valve with no way to shut off the water, and the result could be disastrous. Bite the bullet (and the wallet) by calling in the professionals.

 

[frodo]

you will flood the condo. period. a real period not an obama period

 

[Matt30]

Running other fixtures will not help you. By doing anything with live water you are risking causing mega water damage. Don't be stupid, get it done right

 

[ExtraMilePlumbing]

Its good to advice him not to do it but if he really wants to do it that way then by all means.what i would do in that situation is close the angle valve off as much as i can with a wrench.then slowely remove the supply line and see how much water escapes.also have a big bucket ready

 

[frodo]

i saw a stop dripping one time.
i reached under the sink and started to tighten the compression nut. the stop blew off in my hand.
the bathroom was flooded with in seconds
i managed to put my thumb over the end of the pipe and stop the flood.

i yelled, kicked, screamed, for half an hour before i was found, and the water was turned off.

have fun..leave your wallet and cell phone on the dressor

 

[Matt30]

Its good to advice him not to do it but if he really wants to do it that way then by all means.what i would do in that situation is close the angle valve off as much as i can with a wrench.then slowely remove the supply line and see how much water escapes.also have a big bucket ready

No professional in their right mind is going to give advice that could potentially lead to hundreds of thousands in damage. Especially as plumbers where we work with water that cause more damage in 30 seconds than a fire. It's just a risk not worth taking.

I'm not sure if you are licenced or not, but you might wanna sit back and think about what it is you are tying your name to. Do you really want someone saying "I have 2 feet of water in my basement because I took advice from Extra Mile Plumbing"?

You wouldn't go trying to be an electrician and changing out a breaker panel with live service, would you?

 

[ExtraMilePlumbing]

Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.he was adviced many times of the negative consequences if he had not then i wouldnt have adviced him that.take it or leave it his choice in the end of he day

 

[frodo]

true story on a live line

99.99% of the meters i have dealt with came off the main with a piece of copper to the curb stop
i was to hook up a meter. it was pointed down at a 22 degree angle. no problem, says I , grab the meter
pull it up.
well, this was that .01% meter that was attached with pvc pipe. i pulled it up. and SNAP. all hell broke loose
it was a 6' tall geyser, with my sorry rump in the middle of it.
i managed to throw a rag over the pipe, stop the geyser
i managed to cut the pipe square, then "TRIED" to put a dressor with a ball valve on the pipe.
every time i stabbed it, it pushed it back
finally, with the help of a shovel as a stake i got the dressor to stay on. and closed the valve

it had to have taken me 15 minutes to valve it off.
thousands of gallons of water.
it had created a 5' mud hole with me stuck in it up to my knees. i crawled out less my shoes.
went home got drunk

 

[phishfood]

Bwahahaaaa!! That is a great story, hope I never have to tell that one about me!

 

[aaronml]

I got the message! Thanks for all the input...