Today's cheap plumbing valves

[JDgreen227]

I have to run to Menards again this morning, the 3 year old $15 brass ball valve on our main water inlet has cracked and started to leak. Is it just my imagination, or are the plumbing valves you find today such poor quality they begin leaking after a few years? IN the 8 years since I redid our house with new copper plumbing, the majority of the stop and gate valves (those type with a hand wheel to close them) have started leaking and it's not worth the headache to try to rebuild the seals. Those were only about $5 or $6 new but I would have expected longer service life than 4 or 5 years.

Does anybody know a source for decent quality plumbing valves? Thanks.

 

[F1520]

In this part of the country it's pretty well known that the valves and faucets sold at the big home centers are junk even though they are the well-known name brands that you see in the magazines. These companies make a cheaper, lower quality line to the home center chains' specs and to meet their prices.

I first learned this from a friend who is a contractor. He said, "Go to Home Cheapo and pick out the kitchen faucet you want, but don't buy it there. Tell me which one it is and we'll get it from the plumbing supply house. It will cost a lot more, but that other stuff is junk and not even worth the trouble to install. It will fail within two years."

So I go to the plumbing supply for just about everything except for small fittings and lengths of copper and pex now. Everything costs more, but it's good quality stuff and it lasts.

I usually check here http://www.PexSupply.com before I go so that I can ask for stuff by its correct name. All the shelves are behind the counter at the plumbing supply house, so I can't wander up and down the aisles looking for the "thingy" I need. :laughing:

 

[AKwelder]

gate valves are inexpensive and you get what you pay for. When we do plumbing we use ball valves, and you get what you pay for then to. Some places don't sell "Full Port" valves. What that means is that the hole threw the ball is less than the pipe inside diameter.

FYI, some of the prices at major plumbing supply houses are actually cheaper that the box store. The box store spends A LOT of money to keep you thinking that they are the cheapest. At the same time they are charging the most they can.

Most allow you to get a cash only account and get the good guy price.

 

[AKwelder]

you might also check for water hammer, the thud in your lines can tear things up

 

[unbidden]

I have to run to Menards again this morning, the 3 year old $15 brass ball valve on our main water inlet has cracked and started to leak. Is it just my imagination, or are the plumbing valves you find today such poor quality they begin leaking after a few years? IN the 8 years since I redid our house with new copper plumbing, the majority of the stop and gate valves (those type with a hand wheel to close them) have started leaking and it's not worth the headache to try to rebuild the seals. Those were only about $5 or $6 new but I would have expected longer service life than 4 or 5 years.

Does anybody know a source for decent quality plumbing valves? Thanks.

I recently replaced 3 valves in a home just purchased this past Oct so I don't know how old the valves were. House was built in 1995. But the question that comes to mind is water quality, that could be causing an early retirement of the valves.

 

[freddyr]

alot of stuff is comng from china. buy from good plumbing house. There is a differance. always use ball valves with bleeders!

 

[JDgreen227]

alot of stuff is comng from china. buy from good plumbing house. There is a differance. always use ball valves with bleeders!

What I just replaced today was a Nibco brand 3/4 inch full port ball valve with a bleeder, cost about $11.99 on sale reg price was several bucks more. Our water quality is a lot better than some. And for what it's worth there are almost no major plumbing supply dealers in this area outside of the box stores or Carter Lumber.

 

[kenmac]

I don't know of any company that makes ball valves or gate valves here anymore. The ones I see come from you guessed it. China

 

[Luremaker]

I don't know of any company that makes ball valves or gate valves here anymore. The ones I see come from you guessed it. China

If I go into the local Home Depot store all the ball valves are made in China. The last time I ordered from HD Direct the ball valves were Canada made and cost less.

 

[Mounted Madness]

Our house is 3 years old. The plumber was called back to replace 2 outside taps because they leaked after the first winter. He stated the obvious, that the taps were made in China and they are junk. He's a sub-contractor and the contractor pretty much prescribes what he can spend on hardware. He buys what is allowed and installs it. Probably costs him more in time and effort to replace the 2-5% that fail.

Best part with Chinese products, it's not worth the shipping to send it back to China to get them to replace it. Who wins there? It isn't us, but hey, there was $20 saved in the build of our house and the faulty taps were sent to the metal recycling plant.