How to Replace a Main Shutoff Valve | Ask This Old House
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- čas přidán 8. 12. 2018
- Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey shows how to replace a main shut off valve that is not closing properly
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Time: 1 hour
Cost: $25
Skill Level: Moderate
Tools List for Replacing a Main Shutoff Valve:
Tubing cutter
Torch
Fitting brush
Shopping List:
Ball valve
Plumber’s sand paper
Flux
Solder
Steps:
1. If the indoor shut off valve is not stopping water flow, the local water department has access to a shut off valve near the street and can be called to shut off water while work is performed.
2. With the water off, open the faucets and showers in the building to drain down any water left in the pipes.
3. Use sandpaper to clean the main water line before cutting into it.
4. Cut into the water line using a tubing cutter. When the line is broken, there may be residual water inside that needs to drain out.
5. Use the fitting brush to clean the inside of the valve.
6. Apply flux to the outside of the pipe and the inside of the valve.
7. Hold the torch to the fitting until the flux bubbles, then touch the solder to the pipe opposite the flame. If it’s the correct temperature, the solder should melt and fill in all gaps.
8. Call the water utility to turn back on the water.
Resources:
Ball valves and soldering tools are available at home centers.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Replace a Main Shutoff Valve | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse - Jak na to + styl
Could we all just recognise Lenny for doing all the hard work and not getting recognition
If I may add, it's a good idea for homeowners and renters of houses to be aware of where the main water shut-off is located. In the event of a water emergency, such as a leaking water heater, overflowing toilet, etc it's necessary to shut off the water ASAP. I recommend having a licensed plumber check the operation of the "street side" and " house side" shut-off valves. These valves are most likely stuck tight and if they work at all, they don't shut off completely.
Wow!!! Absolutely no air came out of that faucet after turning the water back on. That's impressive. It's almost like they did a test run and bled the air out before filming. Beautiful!!!
Duh..
lol. They really should show faucet spluttering so DIYers don't think they did something wrong with all the racket it makes during their own repair. Fortunately it straightens out fairly quickly to dispel momentary panic.
Maybe they have an expansion tank or something. Mine didn't sputter after I got one.
And no rust water either 🤣
Ha! No kidding. Kinda the same way they always have just the right part in their van for whats needed. Lol
Good show!
I would recommend deburring or reaming the cleanly cut pipe prior to soldering on the ball valve.
I don't have the words to thank this guy.
At 1:49 he looked like he was expecting a 100 dollar bill or an award.
L Rodriguez ROTFLMFAO why hasn’t anyone else replied to this? I legitimately went back and almost spit my drink! “ these jerks didn’t even tip!” Is what he must have been thinking. 🤣😂
@@Killmode29 im telling u homeboy put on his new gloves and maybe even showered for this .
Or at least a hand job from Ellen Degeneres right there
Typical Government Patronage worker who is waiting to retire at 49 and collect his $100 K pension.
@@tedlekan ... where I come from "city water" has nothing to do with the city. It's a private company sub contracted as a public utility. Yeah, it's usually a union job with a decent benefit package but I doubt there's much to be had before age 55 or 25 - 30 years on the job. Of course that was years ago. Most new hires have a completely different package and you are likely funding your own retirement these days.
I love his cut aways. This guy has cut aways of cut aways. 😂
Outstanding instructional video, Richard! Now ..... if I could just locate my main shutoff valve. Keep up the GREAT WORK - we appreciate you.
Super professional.. shows up in dad shoes and sweat pants. ... i need a water department like that
“Your water is shut off” doesn’t usually end with a “thank you!!!”
2 things I can add: 1) on old fittings, like 60 years old, you get on those with a pipe wrench it's pretty much not budging, so factor one of those in to the cost too if for some reason you need to un-do it too. 2) on old old copper pipes when you shut the water to the house off, and then turn it on the in rush of water can be too much stress for say 60 year old solder joints and pin hole leaks will form. This is from my personal experience.
A potential solution to this last issue is to turn on the main water very, very slowly, to slowly allow the water to come to pressure, and avoiding a water hammer effect. Having a water expansion tank will also help reduce this pressure and potential strain on the joints and extend the life of your hot water heater liner.
He makes it look so easy.
Ikr 😂😂😂😂😂
Great job beautifully incorporated ❤️👌🌹 greetings from El Paso Tx.
Richard Trethewey is the Ron Jeremy of plumbing.
I’m on the toilet right now taking a buncha little Tretheweys.
Richard is like my social studies teacher
He’s been in his profession for a very long time and is a true pro
For users who get confused about on or off I tell them when the handle makes an "X" or "cross", they can think: "Cross it off" as a mneumonic. It seems to help. It's a little more catchy phrase than "inline handle means it's ON" or other explanations.
Great analogy! I'm a novice at DIY stuff, so this difinitely helps. Thank You!
Nice Job Richard.... Here from Colorado
easier said than done... Awesome skill.
Were that house mine the floor access hole would be fitted with a strong, easily removed access panel for future maintenance. I do that for example when I replace a shower valve and have to cut the wall behind it. There are many ways to dress up access panels including trim and you can cover them with picture frames. Do tidy work and do not leave any drafts/air leaks. (RTV peels away where a removable sealant is wanted.) The next time (if you live in a home long enough there will be one) you need to shut off water or access that area you'll be very happy you planned for easy access.
I love this type of videos
Great vid and very useful 👍
Thank you so much for this video.
Richard” I always like to clean the pipes before “ Trethewey.
Also, Richard "I've got a cutaway here" Trethewey
I installed an identical valve from the same manufacturer (but with a drain) back in the year 2000. It worked perfectly in 2015, but in 2022, it allows 2 drops of water per second to pass around its internal seals and exit its drain hole, after closing the valve. Now that I understand that under the best of circumstances these valves don't last forever, I have to question the approach of soldering them into place, like has been done in video. If you need to re-install a new valve in 20 years in the same position, then you will either have to cut off the old valve, assuming that you have enough spare pipe ahead of it, or you will have to un-solder the old valve. My suggestion is to use a threaded ball valve with a mating fitting permanently soldered to the supply pipe from the street. Any future replacement valve can easily be screwed into the same position. Just be sure to use the correct pipe threading compound and technique.
I do like the cutaways.
Here in Central Texas our frost line is like 1 inch. Our valves are only 6-12 inches below ground usually, inline with a meter that the city reads. My new meter gets read with JFM, and the city doesn't need to open the cover.
About a year and a half ago I had a few thousand honeybees take up residence in our water meter cavity, called a beekeeper and they came and gathered them up.
Another great how to video!
Nice...I Like that trailer 👍👍👍
The shut off guy will wait by the shut off valve the whole time..
Really perfect
I need that done at my house!
YOu are going to need to pay up. I usually charge about 200buck for that.
I did mine for about $25 no fee for shut off get a good quality heavy valve.
I got to do this at some point. My house main is getting a bit crusty and it's only a matter of time before the handle breaks off.
City guy was like.. not gonna invite me in???!
Every homeowner should watch this. Good idea to install a new shut off closer to the "main"
you dont need to, wait until it break then call me ill charge a few hundred buck to replace, if at night it will cost more.
Very professional. Richard . Where are you located ?
Just to let you know you should of used a heat shield behind the copper pipe while soldering next to wood. Precautionary measures.
But other than that nice and clean solder job. Usually people are messy and get bugers on the pipe
The video is probably wrong about one point--the balls in brass ball valves are rarely stainless steel. Usually, they are chrome plated brass. Though unconventional, a stainless valve might be a better way to go with a primary shutoff. That's what I installed at my house, and I am very happy with it (though stainless can be a pain in the butt to work with).
Are the quarter turn valves the preferred type? Do they last longer?
If you have a plumber with an old school gate or globe valve in his truck. Tell him to go away. Now, if he works on boilers he should have both of those an hand. Very few plumbers are qualified to do boilers.
So. My answer to your question is. YES all shut off valves in an average home should be 1/4 turn ball valves. Even the angle stops at all fixtures.
When I install a new water heater. I take the little drain out as n replace that with a full glow 3/4 ball valve. So when you go to dr as in it or flush it. Your not trying to drain out or flush out build up thru the stock 3/8 hole that comes on the water heater. You can't flush a water heater with that small of a drain hole.
That's the reason we have two shut-offs here in Germany, one directly before and one directly after the meter. They replace the water meters normally every six years, that's the duration of the official verification or gauge. But they can make a sampling inspection, if the meters of this type and batch are still precise enough after that time they can get an extension up to additional three years.
They do it like that in the US too. I see it a lot where I live. Can’t speak for the rest of the country. Local codes vary. Believe it or not, I’ve had a couple situations where neither valve held.
@@Jimddddd1981
Hadn't any issue until now. Some years ago this was all replaced in my house. The old piping was galvanized steel from the 1950s. Now it is stainless steel, only the piping from the city is still the old cast iron pipe.
The thing is, if they change the meter they close both valves so you don't have a lot of backflow from the piping of the house.
Both valves didn't close? Normally the problem with such valves is that they start leaking if you turn their handles.
It’s common in newer construction to have a ball valve before and after the meter in the US. However, 50+ year old construction typically has just one main valve and it often has never been turned in 20-50 years. That’s interesting your water meters are replaced so frequently. Is water expensive in Germany? In the US, it’s common for water meters to never be replaced unless they fail. Most are at least 30 years old and many original to the house. Some areas have been switching to wireless digital meters, but analog meters are quite common. Around me, water service is $35 for 3 months and up to 9,000 gallons. There’s a small charge for using above that.
I'm in New Jersey in a house that was built around 1900. I also have 2. A ball valve, and a black circle one.
But those black circle one, throughout my whole basement plumbing, their are like 6 of them.
@@ericspda where do you live. I haven't been an old school meter in atleast 10 years maybe more. Our meters get changed out every 7 to 10 years. I'm not sure why you would want shut off valve before and after the meter. We have the city shut off before the valve and a house valve at the house itself. I don't see any reason for more valves?
The reason a valve leaks after you turn it off & back on is that the packing on the stem is dried out. Put in a new packing & the leak stops.
Thanks for teh video =)
perfect hideout from the law
Nice video
When i drain the pipe, should i close my water heater inlet valve?
also the ground cable is connected to the water tubes , is that allowed in the states ?
Jeez In the middle of the living room? That’s a bad spot
looks like a finished basement in a old house.
Lol, my water company wanted to charge me $200 to come and turn it off. That tool is only $25 on ebay, I think I'll do it myself.
the thing is if you brake the valve you gotta pay for it
@@marcoshernandez2089 that is a concern. Luckily I haven't needed to turn it off yet. You'd figure if the water company is so concerned about it breaking they'd do it themselves without fee. Just another government cash grab
@@marcoshernandez2089 nah if you break it you hide the tool and any evidence you tried to turn it off then call them and tell them their part is broken and they need to fix it.
@@marcoshernandez2089 That is the big issue right there, and is a real concern. Especially since most of these shut offs don't get used for years at a time.
I made a tool out of 1/2" natural gas pipe, and just cut the slit in the bottom to fit the water valve. Every home owner should have the capability to do this just in case of emergency where waiting an hour for the water company could cost you hundreds or thousands in damages.
@@marcoshernandez2089 ... in most areas you own everything up to the curb so if the valve breaks (not brakes) it's yours already.
I used a plumber who used a press on type of shut off valve with no soldering needed, which is best?
(I am a licensed plumber) they're both fine, solder lasts longer because the propress fittings use a rubber gasket that the propress crimps to seal it (you get a good 5 10 years off a press fitting). Press fittings are also faster and easier to install, plus the fact that in order to solder you have to get a burn permit from the city. Short answer they are about the same when done correctly, but propress is quicker and doesn't need a permit.
Hope this helps 👍🏻
Please show the procedure for those of us with old huge water radiators in our home. When turning of the main water valve, what do we need to do to make sure our radiators don't crack?
My water shut off knob that connects to the waterline to the front and back yard is leaking water, do I have to shut the main water line outside to fix it ?
Cool
Advice I read on "Family Handyman," advised using a leather washer on the new water main valve. Are leather washers really necessary?, I did not see one used in this video.
On what part of the valve? Like a hose washer? Doesn't make sense. Different type of set up. ?
Nice video, were have u been based ? Which city?
Here in Florida, thank God we don't have a frost line, the city's shut off is 12" below the ground under a plate in our front yards. Real easy to get to, and the shut off tool is only 2 feet long, sold at Home Desperate looks similar to the tool used by the city employee in this video. Also, all our secondary water mains are located on the wall outside the house, usually old lame gate valves, which never shut off water 100% from day one, because builders put in garbage. I see it about 50% of the time on houses built in 1980s and 1990s. Any chance I get we have them converted to ball valve like Richard did. You guys would love plumbing down here, it's a lot easier.
It’s a emergency valves, I say removing furniture, carpets and floorboards first will probably flood ur house by the time you get to it 🤔
I'd rather move a couch than wait two hours for the city to shut it off.
m60hein Most valves are put under the sink in the kitchen
I agree it's a stupid location, but they put the valve after the meter. That's where it was, it is what it is. Just saying on a Sunday night and and you have leak upstairs and its Raining in your Kitchen, you can move that couch or open that hatch and turn the damn water off quicker than calling g someone to shut it off at the curb/street
@brianohbrian burns Not here. For one thing nobody puts pressure reducing valves in anymore. And most of the houses I do are on pilings. I put the 1" PEX ball valve on a piling under the house. On slab houses I put one in a wall wherever I bring the water in, though nobody else does. 😕
@brianohbrian burns Yep. The hard part is keeping sheetrock hangers from covering them up. 🤨😡😉
Can anyone shutoff the outside water valve if you get your hands on the proper tool or do you need the city to do that?
Did you ever see any of the old Three Stooges Flicks? They are forever screwing with peoples' pipes with those things.
What happens when the shutoff at the street doesn't close all the way? Compression fitting or sharkbite for the in-house main shut off?
There is another video on this channel that shows how Richard replaces a main water shutoff valve when it's not possible to turn off the water at the street.
@@n124lp Thanks. I'll look for it. EDIT: I saw it. Is that the one where he talks about freezing the pipe? He mentions sharkbite but I think a compression valve would be a little better?
That place most often go below temperature lol. Way down the frost line.
Do you have to call the water department ? Or can we shut it off ourselves if we have the tool?
Thanks
RADRADOUANE you should be able to yourself.
Yeah he says something about the water department but i couldn’t hear what exactly. Not that it matters for me as where i live they don’t have such shutoffs per house in the street. But i’m interested in the USA infrastructure.
you break it you buy it... some time the valves are stuck and if you apply force it can break the valve sheering off the tab, if you struggle with it call the water department to do the shut off. If they break it they fix it for free, if you break it...
manorin that’s a good point.
Best to call the water depo. C.Y.A. (cover your arse)
Do you have to turn off your water heater when shuting off the main line?
no, water heater will retain the water
Out in the country where I live you own everything on your land except the meter itself
Does rich use any SharkBite fittings when he's doing a job I have not seen him use one yet though he has demonstrated them on the show and did recommend them
The old main stop valve on galvanized pipe was leaking and corroded. Can you use Sharkbite ball valve?
I wouldn't trust those sharkbites. They might be handy for new copper pipes and stuff but not for old rusty pieces. Soldering is the way to go in my opinion
Shark-bite fittings might be okay to use as couplers or in other applications. Definitely NOT for replacing a main though. Main controls the water supply to whole house. Better to solder in place.
Flame guard when soldering close to combustible material? Wood ? A thought... safety first
That's what I thought as well. Yikes!
I helped a plumber change some valves like this recently, and he used a spray bottle and misted down the surrounding area with a spritz or two of water before he lit the torch. Worked like a charm.
Yup. I've got a piece of sheet metal in my box
@@VC-Toronto
Also put a metal cookie sheet or good sized scrap sheet metal over the wetted wood act as a heat shield helps further protection.
Genius shouldve put a wet rag when torching next to wood.
L Rodriguez Yep, an old house I lived in for a while, we took down a wall and had to replace some plasterboard, the beam behind the hot pipe for the shower was burnt to the toilet where it wasn’t structurally sound, almost as if they lit it on fire and had to grab a bucket of water to put it out haha
@@timhanby5662 yeah specially if its really old wood best to prevent a fire .
Should have relocated the ground strap 1st. Some want ah bee's use the ground as a neutral an now you have line voltage on the house side of the copper pipe.
I’m not a plumber by no means but I did this in my house just like you showed me and now it take my hot water a long time to come out hot and before I switched out my main shut off valve to a ball valve I had Instant hot water * 10sec*. How can I get it back?
I'm no plumber either. However, I'm thinking one issue is totally unrelated to the other issue. I suspect it was a coincidence that you started to have an issue with your water heating system at the same time you changed the valve. The other thing is maybe some sediment or something traveled into your heating system/line and is blocking something.
Not depicted - the 3-day wait for the local water company to come turn a wrench (but they turn the wrench with such skill)
Cost a lot of money 2 turn that with a long pole! A little strain there!!!
I would have located the valve under the narrow white box with a lid so you could reach down and turn the water off without removing the floor
I was thinking the same thing. Basically he did not want to lay and reach under there to do the connection. Should have been under the white box so it would be accessible.
Why not use Sharkbite there in close corners better to use ??
Sharkbites should only be used for temp set ups never permanent. Soldering is much better
👍
The placement of the meter & shutoff valve is what I refer to as a 'piss poor' setup.
Finished basement. Nothing wrong with the location.
I agree.
I agree. And i dunno why he got the main shut off and then cut the valve in downstream of the meter
Because it looked like lead pipe on the street side of the meter
My main valve at the street is 100+ years old (calif). Even after shutting it off it leaks like crazy. City says Im responsible for it since its after the meter. GEE THANKS.
Your meter is at the street?
@@iLikeC00kieDough Common here in the Pacific NW USA. Depending on your location, the shutoff may be part of the meter and the water dept. responsibility.
Steve Pettersen so is it located in an underground box similar to the shut off valve? I never even knew this, very interesting how different locations do it. I wonder why
@@iLikeC00kieDough I'm guessing meter manufacturers saw what didn't work so well and tried something new, different water department requirements, plus regional climates require placing equipment differently to avoid freezing, etc.
That's the way it is most places. If it's after the meter, it's yours. Even if the main line coming into the house were to start leaking, you have to fix it. They own the meter, you own everything downstream of it.
are there any gaskets in ball valve that need to be removed before soldering?
no the Teflon gasket in a ball valve can withstand a large amount of heat. No need to remove.
Solder fast, put heat more to the pipe, not the valve, and cool with a wet rag.
Vern C wetting can cause the solder to develop cracks.
Always solder them with the valve open.
so if the outside valve were to break, where is the shutoff before it?
Good god. Whoever put that house together did not allow for servicing
Ur not kidding hahahahay
!!Next time you need to use big "G" when mentions GOD he is the boos remember that ok🤔🧠👍?
That house must have been built by a design engineer.
@@l337pwnage You mean the people who build space shuttles?
Engineers....
Right!? The water meter inside the living room!?
I live in North Eastern PA, you have to call the water authority to shut it off and it has to be done by a licensed plumber (the call/request).
@David David to be more specific, i am in Reading, PA. Legally, i can't even replace a kitchen faucet unless it's done by a licensed plumber. But, it's okay to do it outside the city.. Same goes with any electrical work.
Call plumber money bags or electrical bags!
Ok ok That is the WAY IT Works.
How much you paid ..?
TOH Classic episodes are messing with my head, I only see the 24-year old Rich now.
In New York City we don't have one there's no shut off valve outside
My old shut off gate valve (90 degree elbow) wont close anymore. What's the average cost for a plumber to replace it with a ball valve?
Why is that one pipe under the floor grounded with a copper wire screwed to it?
that is the main ground for the electrical panel typically
Water didn’t turn off it slowed down. 🤔
I know this is an old comment but just so everyone knows, even though the water was shut-off at the main there's still water left-over in the pipes that needs to be drained out before it stops completely, typically people recommend turning on a sink lowest in the house and nearest the shut-off to drain remaining water out of the pipes inside your house.
One of the benefits of living in a warmer clime....the shut off valve can be out side. It's interesting to see what other folks have to deal with.
climate doesnt matter, its below the frost line... Someone wasnt paying attention lol
Yup...the one on the street was, but the house shut off was under the floor. Again, lol, something I don't have to worry about... The city one is about 6 inches down (we can reach it without special tools) and mine's out in the front flower bed, about 6 inches about ground. Easy-peasy
Yes, metro main valve got buried by them under both 4 layers of tar when they replaced the road surface and forgot to reinstate the cover, plus they also encased the pipe to the meter in 6 cubic meters of concrete putting in a lamp base foundation. The solution they are using ( at least the subbies they have) is to bend the pipe over ( HDPE pipe) and work fast, though this does lead to at least 8 call outs per repair to fix what they messed up again. Meters are all plastic outside, as the brass ones tend to vanish overnight. Plastic meters will all leak eventually with age.
My main shutoff is outside the garage
I can find the street valve wrench but I can’t find the tool to loosen the buffalo box sidewalk cap
Standard socket and ratchet will work just the same. Just find the right size socket.
@@CCWP0251 Some municipalities use a pentabolt to secure the cap. not unlike the penta head fire extinguisher valve. not impossible to find, but not likely to be found in a brick and mortar store.
@@koof_a_loof look up "universal socket" on amazon. Get one rated for an impact gun and you'll never need to track down another special security socket ever again. (don't actually use it with an impact though)
It's called a pentagon key. Clark and Devon hardware, in Chicago sells them for $15. A set of vise grips works fine if you can break it loose.
Pentagon key is a hard one to keep. I spray painted it orange and keep it taped to my street key. I hope I never need it, but in Chicago they usually come quickly if there's a pipe failure.
4:34 - slowing down is not a shut off!
On New Zelanad we dont have to have the tool to go underground. Ours are all accessible from the top. We dont have to pay for water. Makes thes house cleaners and no need of a water meter.
In Canada they are all underground due to freezing temperatures. The free water would be nice. 🙂
How do you do this with galvanized pipe?
Title wrong, should of said how to install a ball valve main
John Flandorffer not ball valve main. Call it main ball valve
@@ScantPear Let's just call it valve main ball.
What do you do if the city valve doesn't close and leaks???
Pedram Pourmand sharkbite
There are only two possibilities, 1) it can be on your side (yard, irrigation, toilet) it is your responsibility to fix it. 2) it can be by the meter at the City's then it's the City's responsibility to fix it you just have to let them know .
Since you called them to do the job, just call back and they'll have record of the service call and dispatch someone to repair it, without further cost to you. Oh wait, if you messed with it, then you call them and they'll have no record of them doing anything to it. When the guy comes out, he'll quickly realize you tampered with their equipment. Aside from sticking you with an emergency repair bill ($5k at least) you'll also receive a penalty fee for tampering with their equipment. That'll be $8k payable in full. Refusal to pay places an automatic lien on your property with 60 days to pay, else you'll go into foreclosure.
If you play this backwards, This Old House is repossessing brass fittings and the township is turning off the water
Super :)
Like:)
Where were your bonding straps ? As electriction is a real hazard
There is a $200.00 call out just for that shut off at the P/L
Does someone need to read that meter periodically or is that little wire a sensor of some sort?
Meters have to get read every month.
The small wire goes to either an outside box that the meter reader can put a scanner against to get the reading, or to a wi-fi transmitter that gets the signal picked up by a utility company vehicle that simply drives down the street and collects the readings automatically as the vehicle drives by.
The frequency of the reading depends on your city or town, I think mine is every 4 months.
Lord Ba'al seemed like an awkward place for someone to take a reading every month so they must use the sensor.
@@alex_byrnes That's the watch main. The wire from that goes to a sensor outside the house.
If you look at your water meter, you will see the same thing.
I have been told that you do not solder before the meter to use a flare valve and never a shark bite valve that could shoot off the pipe.
Sharkbites don't shoot off pipes if they are properly installed and not allowed to freeze. I've just installed over a dozen of their fittings in the past couple of years. They are great for repairs when when you can't get the water to stop dripping.
My main water valve? I turn off the pump?
If you have a pressure tank you'll still spray water all over. There should be a valve between it and the house piping.
I want to know what’s going on in Lenny’s life, seems like an interesting guy.