buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
Yep, I've replaced a few shutoff valves with ball valves recently.
Old House Plumbing Problem.
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newbury
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All mine work. I put them in about 25 years ago and generally have to turn the ones on the toilets every 3 or 4 years to replace toilet flush parts.
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The problem here with conventional angle stops is they use a rubber washer and rubber stem packing...
They were OK until the water company switched to chloramine which eats up rubber... anyone that has fooled with a rubber washer exposed to chloramine around here knows it stains everything black as it disintegrates...
Now even the toilet flappers/ballcocks sold are listed as chloramine resistant... because that was another mess.
About 30 years ago the Plumbing supply got a line of 1/4 turn angle stops made in Italy... cost more than double what the old angle stops cost but boy were they nice...
Somewhere they started being made in China... now it is hit or miss as to quality...
At work, for the steam valves there are some American made ball valves I like a lot... installed by me in 1995 and still on the job...
I'm willing to pay more for quality since any problems down the road will most likely be my problem...
The house flippers around here buy cheap, cheap, cheap on anything that is hidden... so the low end market is alive and well...
PEX had never caught on here and code is probably why... one city says all domestic water must be copper... another forbids ABS for DWV above ground... another bans and ABS or PVC for under sink traps...
They were OK until the water company switched to chloramine which eats up rubber... anyone that has fooled with a rubber washer exposed to chloramine around here knows it stains everything black as it disintegrates...
Now even the toilet flappers/ballcocks sold are listed as chloramine resistant... because that was another mess.
About 30 years ago the Plumbing supply got a line of 1/4 turn angle stops made in Italy... cost more than double what the old angle stops cost but boy were they nice...
Somewhere they started being made in China... now it is hit or miss as to quality...
At work, for the steam valves there are some American made ball valves I like a lot... installed by me in 1995 and still on the job...
I'm willing to pay more for quality since any problems down the road will most likely be my problem...
The house flippers around here buy cheap, cheap, cheap on anything that is hidden... so the low end market is alive and well...
PEX had never caught on here and code is probably why... one city says all domestic water must be copper... another forbids ABS for DWV above ground... another bans and ABS or PVC for under sink traps...
MossRoad
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I heard about a lot of strict code over in Chicago. I was told a lot of it was driven by union influence over lawmakers to ensure job security. Lots of do it yourself stuff was not legal. Don't know if its still like that over there or not.
Bird
Rest in Peace
We had a plumber replace both toilets in our house a couple of years ago. Without even asking, he replaced the shut off valves with the quarter turn valves.
quicksandfarmer
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Probably for his own sanity while doing the job.
/pine
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I've seen old lav. and W.C. stops so crusted from calcium and other minerals they would not move...have also wrung (soft pot metal and plastic) handles off frozen stops...Almost always included the cost of all new service stops for bath remodels etc...
I've also encountered sweated on stops that were so full of solder that they would not function properly...
I've also encountered sweated on stops that were so full of solder that they would not function properly...
quicksandfarmer
Elite Member
Lots of good advice here.
I definitely second adding shutoff valves before starting work. With PEX, if you have the tools (PEX cutter and crimper) it's a job that takes longer to get out the tools than it does to do it. Ball valve with PEX fittings is about $8 around here.
Those old faucets were simple. The threaded stem goes in and out when you turn the handle. When it goes in the washer presses against the seat and turns off the water. Both the washer and seat have to be in good shape in order for it to seal. The seat has to be smooth, clean, and square. A rough seat will ruin a new washer. I would recommend trying to clean the seat before replacing it.
There are a couple of things that can go wrong that make the faucet unfixable. A crack in the body. The threads on the stem can get stripped so that it no longer holds closed tightly. While you have it apart you should put plumber grease on the threads to keep them from wearing.
I definitely second adding shutoff valves before starting work. With PEX, if you have the tools (PEX cutter and crimper) it's a job that takes longer to get out the tools than it does to do it. Ball valve with PEX fittings is about $8 around here.
Those old faucets were simple. The threaded stem goes in and out when you turn the handle. When it goes in the washer presses against the seat and turns off the water. Both the washer and seat have to be in good shape in order for it to seal. The seat has to be smooth, clean, and square. A rough seat will ruin a new washer. I would recommend trying to clean the seat before replacing it.
There are a couple of things that can go wrong that make the faucet unfixable. A crack in the body. The threads on the stem can get stripped so that it no longer holds closed tightly. While you have it apart you should put plumber grease on the threads to keep them from wearing.
OP
N80
Super Member
Thanks for the continued advice guys. Time is tight but I will tackle the shut off valve this week. I have all the PEX tools. Since this line is copper (I have a mix in my basement) I will use the shark bite type attachments to go from copper to PEX. Expensive but foolproof and quick. Yes, I could just keep it all in copper but I'm not confident in my soldering skills in tight places with lots of wooden beams around. I will use an in-line ball valve.
Have found a wide range of quality in valves and even hose bibs at the big box stores...........mostly on the low end. I went through 2 or 3 cheap hose bibs that leaked when new. Now I buy the best quality valves and such that I can find.
One day my dream is to install a full PEX manifold in the basement. Will probably never happen but if I was starting from new that would be a no-brainer in my opinion for an old house that is _always_ going to have some sort of plumbing issue going on.
Have found a wide range of quality in valves and even hose bibs at the big box stores...........mostly on the low end. I went through 2 or 3 cheap hose bibs that leaked when new. Now I buy the best quality valves and such that I can find.
One day my dream is to install a full PEX manifold in the basement. Will probably never happen but if I was starting from new that would be a no-brainer in my opinion for an old house that is _always_ going to have some sort of plumbing issue going on.
OP
N80
Super Member
PEX is pretty much the standard out here. I installed all of the plumbing in my cabin kit myself. All PEX. Very easy. Almost 15 years and no problems associated with the PEX or my install and this was my first plumbing job ever.
My previous home was on a well. The water destroyed the copper lines in that house. Constantly wore through the copper, especially at the bends. Several major and expensive leaks and I had all PEX installed.
In my current house, the contractor who put on the master bath addition ran the supply and drain lines outside the house. The scoundrel did not insulate the box that they ran down the outside wall for the pipes. We normally don't get serious cold here but for the last 10 days we did not get much above freezing with nighttime temps in the single digits. We were out of town and the outside PEX line froze solid but did not burst. I was impressed. As soon as it warms up I will remove the 'box', insulate the pipes, add pipe warmer strips, put insulation in the box and then close it back in. I'm really not into DIY and usually don't enjoy it.............even though it seems I am constantly doing everything myself....but it is hard to get quality work these days and even cheap work is expensive.....and you have to pay for cheap work TWICE.
Fortunately, thanks to all the expertise here at TBN I can do stuff myself and do it right.
