Details and alternatives.
Main water shut off valve leaking.
How to fix a shutoff valve leak.
Loosen the bonnet nut on the leaky shut off valve with an adjustable wrench.
Step by step instruction showing how to stop a shut off valve from leaking at the stem.
Well it could be that you have a standard gate valve which is prone to leaking corrosion and damage.
This valve usually is in the basement or a utility closet and it will be clearly labeled.
How to fix shut off valve leak.
If you ve noticed that your home s main water shut off valve is dripping water you re probably wondering if this is a sign of a larger plumbing issue.
Close the main water supply to the leaky valve.
This is usually found in a utility space near where the main water line enters the house or on an outside wall.
Shut off water in your house.
This turns off water to the entire house even outside spigots.
Turn on all the faucets and flush all the toilets associated with the main shutoff valve to empty the pipes of water.
Wrap teflon packing around the spindle then hand tighten the bonnet nut back into place.
If you have a water leak or just need to turn off the water in your home for remodeling or repairs you must turn off your water upstream at some point.
The long term answer is to replace it with a ball valve.
The water valve stem passes through a packing nut and washer which provide a watertight seal.
If the leak persists before replacing the entire valve try this.
It s not uncommon for a brand new shut off valve to leak around the handle area whenever you turn it on.
In all homes you can shut off the water at the main water cut off valve.
I turned off the water to the house at the main shut off valve while i was fixing a faucet problem.
Turn off the water at the house s main shutoff then disassemble the problematic shutoff valve without disconnecting the valve from either the water supply line or the line leading to the toilet.
If your leak is somewhere in the main branch line or if there is no fixture shut off valve near the fixture you need to repair or replace find the main shut off valve for the home.
Place a bucket or a thick towel on the floor under the leaky valve just in case some residual water leaks out during work.
When i turned the main water shut off back on a slow drip is now occurring right at the knob.
Pull the nut back to expose the valve s threaded spindle.
Is probably occurring around the water valve stem.