I noticed the nut on my shutoff valve for my outdoor faucet is cracked. I would like to replace this shutoff valve with a ball valve. Do I purchase a 1/2 inch female thread ball valve? Is this an easy repair? What does the 125 mean on the old valve? Please see picture below.
valve replacement to shut off outdoor faucet
- Thread starter Aaronac8
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Yes a 1/2" IPS ball valve will work. It looks like there might be black iron pipe connected to that valve, if that's the case the iron piping needs to be replaced as well.
Which black iron pipe needs to be replaced...the "T" or the nipple coming out of the "T"? This pipe comes from my whole house shut off valve.
I'm referring to the piping to the left of the valve in the picture. On closer inspection it could be brass piping based on the green oxidation from water. See if a magnet will stick to the pipes.
None of the pipes that have red arrows pointing to them are magnetic. Does this mean that the pipe is brass, even though it looks like it is black iron pipe?
This picture shows my main shut off valve to the house, which has the green arrow pointed to it and the pipe with the red arrow pointed to it is not magnetic.
Would I use a pipe wrench to remove the brass nipple from the broken gate valve or something else since brass is a soft metal?
Yes that means they are not iron which is good. A pipe wrench is fine. I would cut the valve so you can unthread it, when you put it back together you will likely need a union, unless the pipe feeding the hose bib spins freely.
Sorry, but I am not sure what u mean by "cut the valve"? Do I cut through the nipple going out to the hose bib? I was thinking of trying to unscrew the nipple from the old valve on the hose bib side....but it is on there very tight; applied some WD 40, hoping that would help.
When u say union, is that the same as a brass nipple?
WD 40 is only a water displacement liquid. What you need is PB Blaster.
If the hole in the wall at "A" allows the pipe to rotate, and there are no screws holding the faucet to exterior wall (or if you can remove them), then you can unscrew the joint at "B" using a pipe wrench on the pipe going through the wall and a pipe wrench or large crescent wrench on the flats of the valve. You can then remove the valve at joint "C". If the nipple unscrews at joint "D", that's OK.
To install a new valve, screw the valve onto the existing nipple at "C". If joint "D" came off during the valve removal, unscrew that short nipple from the old valve and screw it into the new valve hand tight. Then screw that assembly into the joint at "D". Using a pipe wrench, or large crescent wrench if the valve has flats, on the valve only will tighten joints "C" and "D" at the same time. Then screw the pipe going through the wall onto the new valve using a pipe wrench on that pipe.
You have Teflon tape on all those joints, and all those joints apparently are brass, so they should be relatively easily separated. I seriously doubt that they are frozen in place with what appears to be relatively new Teflon tape at those joints. I like to use Teflon pipe dope instead of Teflon tape, but you need to use one or the other for these new joints.
What size pipe wrench are you using?
The 125 is the pressure rating for that valve in PSI.
ANd of course, to do this you will need to shut off the water to your house, and there will be some water that will drain out of your pipes when you remove that vale. You can minimize that by opening the hose bib on the outside and a cold-water faucet at the highest point inside the house.
Good luck.
Thank u for ur very detailed response...u described exactly what I thought I needed to do.
Opening a faucet at the highest point will release the vapor lock to allow water to drain from the hose bib...correct?
Here are the pipe wrenches that I have:
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Yes, on the venting for draining the water. And you should be able to unscrew those connection with that 18" pipe wrench.
We just had a poster that said his water heater nipple was stuck, and we found out he was using a pair of channel locks. LOL. I just wanted to make sure you were using a pipe wrench. If you can't get enough leverage, put a cheater pipe on the handle and it will come loose.
We just had a poster that said his water heater nipple was stuck, and we found out he was using a pair of channel locks. LOL. I just wanted to make sure you were using a pipe wrench. If you can't get enough leverage, put a cheater pipe on the handle and it will come loose.
I was able to remove the hose bib and brass nipple:
I would like to replace it with a Anti-Siphon Frost Free Sillcock. The brass nipple above appears to be over 14 inches long; is this a standard size? The new ball valve is 1/2 inch longer than the old gate valve. Can someone post a link to a anti-siphon frost free silcock that should work? Thanks for all the help
Here is my new ball valve with temporary Duct Seal to cover the hole for the nipple:
I would like to replace it with a Anti-Siphon Frost Free Sillcock. The brass nipple above appears to be over 14 inches long; is this a standard size? The new ball valve is 1/2 inch longer than the old gate valve. Can someone post a link to a anti-siphon frost free silcock that should work? Thanks for all the help
Here is my new ball valve with temporary Duct Seal to cover the hole for the nipple:
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Here's one example. It is 14" long, so it may stick out 1/2" from your exterior wall with your 1/2" longer valve. If you are OK with adding a spacer behind the sill cock, that will work. If that isn't something that you want, you can either:
A) remove the valve and that short nipple and use a shorter nipple with that valve, or
B) remove the valve and replace that short nipple with a longer nipple and a coupling that will match you required dimension.
With a frost-free sill cock, you really don't need that valve anyway.
A) remove the valve and that short nipple and use a shorter nipple with that valve, or
B) remove the valve and replace that short nipple with a longer nipple and a coupling that will match you required dimension.
With a frost-free sill cock, you really don't need that valve anyway.
Thanks again for ur reply. Where can I find a spacer?
Depending on your house siding, I would just make one out of some PVC lumber. But I just did a quick search and found these. You may be able to find something similar at a local hardware store.
There are several other products like Hose Bib Buddy, but the ones I've seen are all 1/8" or 3/16" thick. These are the only ones I've found at a 1/2" thickness. Etsy also has other thicknesses available. Note, I've never used these, but they are just a piece of plastic.
There are several other products like Hose Bib Buddy, but the ones I've seen are all 1/8" or 3/16" thick. These are the only ones I've found at a 1/2" thickness. Etsy also has other thicknesses available. Note, I've never used these, but they are just a piece of plastic.
