Old Gate Valves Break When You Need Them Most

Turning an Old One Is a Coin Flip

In our experience, about half the time an old gate valve breaks when it gets turned... and honestly, we're being a little optimistic at that.

When one does break, it's about 50-50 which way it goes. Hopefully it breaks on the way down, so it just never closes. The worse one is when it closes fine and breaks when you open it back up... because now the water's off until the valve gets replaced. There's no way to tell ahead of time which one you're going to get.

It's just a sad fact of plumbing, and it's why plumbers are so adamant about getting rid of gate valves.

The Fix: Quarter-Turn Ball Valves

A ball valve has a ball inside with a hole drilled through it. One quarter turn of the handle lines the hole up with the pipe to open it, or turns it sideways to shut the water off. There's no gate to break off, and no long screw sitting in the water to corrode.

The ball seals against Teflon seats, and the handle has updated seals of its own. They last a lot longer than gate valves... and we mean a lot. Bonus: you can tell at a glance if it's open. Handle in line with the pipe is open. Handle across the pipe is closed.

What About the Little Valves Under Your Sinks and Toilets?

Those are called stops. In a lot of homes built before about 2010, they're multi-turn stops. Inside, a stem with a rubber washer screws down onto a seat... the same idea as an outside faucet (see how that wears out).

They can be rebuilt, but a new stop costs so little that it usually makes more sense to replace it. That's why we suggest quarter-turn stops. Most of them work on a ball inside, just like a ball valve.

Even Ball Valves Need a Little Love

Quarter-turn valves aren't set-it-and-forget-it. Over time the seats can get a little sticky against the ball, and a valve that never moves can seize up on you. Turning them every so often keeps them working for the day you actually need them.

Which Valve Do I Have?

A Few Things Every Homeowner Should Know

• Know where your main shut-off is before you need it... not while water is spraying.
• Don't put a wrench or pliers on a stuck gate valve handle. That's how stems snap.

  A note from Matthew

  You might see me or one of my guys put channel locks on a gate valve. Sometimes in an old building there's only one gate valve and it has to be shut down... and the bigger ones almost have to be turned with a wrench. I've got a lot of years doing this, and I know what I'm feeling for. I don't even let a new guy try it until he has a real feel for it. This isn't a DIY job. Please don't try it at home.

• Low water pressure all over the house, and a gate valve on the main? The gate may have come loose inside and be partly blocking the water. Have it checked.
• If a gate valve won't close all the way, don't force it. Call us.

How a Wise Maintenance Plan Handles It

• Every year we shut off the water to the house and turn it back on, and work every shut-off, so they don't seize up on you.
• We won't turn a gate valve without talking to you first.
• We'll point out any gate valves and old multi-turn stops, and what it takes to update them.
• If an old valve starts leaking when we work it, we'll show you and fix it at your member price.