Before i call a plumber..........

walter

walter

Fourth Party
So, i turned off my outside faucet some time ago from the shutoff valve inside my house. I live on a slab so the line runs directly across my laundry room wall and to the outside. I had the valve replaced a few years ago with a ball valve ( i think thats what its called) and its still leaking. I know this is a pretty simple process but is there anything im missing? I have the handle open on the outside so the water can drain, I'd rather not have to deal with the pipe bursting. Any ideas? Can the inside valve be bad or defective?
 

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Kaleidopete said:
Usually what you do is by your shutoff handle in the house there is a small vent in the pipe that you open after you open the outside faucet and that lets the water drain out from the outside faucet by letting air through from the inside shutoff . If that's not clear I'm sorry
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Understood, thanks
 
Kaleidopete said:
Usually what you do is by your shutoff handle in the house there is a small vent in the pipe that you open after you open the outside faucet and that lets the water drain out from the outside faucet by letting air through from the inside shutoff . If that's not clear I'm sorry
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You’re referring to a frost free faucet. A basic ball valve drain valve isn’t really designed to be exposed to freezing temps
 
I got nothing. But the photo reminded me of the time my wife was walking down our block from the train station. She heard a loud weird noise that got louder as she got closer to out house. Turns out a plastic valve from our sprinkler system cracked and we had a frozen geyser shooting out the side of our house. The sprinkler company had missed their appointment to winterize the system and we forgot all about it.
 
This is what I usually do to shut off water for the winter.
I let the outside valve/water run full blast and then go where i need to shut off the water. And then shut it off as fast as possible. then open and close the outside faucet a few time to drain any remaining water.

WINTER SUCKS

I can't understand if you have a shut off inside the house to that faucet? (Edit, uh nvm I see it in the first sentence now!)
 
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If the new ball valve inside the house is completely shut and there is pressure in the section of pipe between the spigot and the ball valve, the gasket in the spigot is prob shot and water is passing. That is not a frost free spigot.

If the valve is still leaking with that open, the ball valve is not completely shut. Work back and forth to get a complete shutoff. Leave outside valve open and listen for no water flow.

If that small vent @Kaleidopete indicated is there, that would drain any additional pressure in that line. Do not keep that open when operating the valve as described above.

If that doesn't work, light it on fire or buy a spigot cap to stop the dripping as a temp solution
 
ryderX said:
You’re referring to a frost free faucet. A basic ball valve drain valve isn’t really designed to be exposed to freezing temps
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the ball valves on both of my outside faucets have a vent on them, as long as it was installed in the right direction it works exactly was @Kaleidopete says

a frost free faucet theoretically doesnt need to be shutoff in the winter because it has the shutoff part inside the heated space and a drain vent so that the water is allowed to run out of that extended section of piping.
 
ekuhn said:
If the new ball valve inside the house is completely shut and there is pressure in the section of pipe between the spigot and the ball valve, the gasket in the spigot is prob shot and water is passing. That is not a frost free spigot.

If the valve is still leaking with that open, the ball valve is not completely shut. Work back and forth to get a complete shutoff. Leave outside valve open and listen for no water flow.

If that small vent @Kaleidopete indicated is there, that would drain any additional pressure in that line. Do not keep that open when operating the valve as described above.

If that doesn't work, light it on fire or buy a spigot cap to stop the dripping as a temp solution
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A spigot cap will cause the pipe to freeze inside. Not recommended.
 
walter said:
We had our water main done about 5 years ago, they replaced all the old school round valves with ball valves.
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I see. Ok, IMO call a plumber. That's a lot of water on the outside so something is leaking, I would think. Since the exterior one is open it sort of means the interior one is the culprit.
 
I'm not sure if the ball valve inside the house is not complete shutting or if the water in the line between ball valve and outdoor spigot is gravity draining.

In any case I'd replace ball valve with this ball valve to drain the line for winterization. Ideally there should not be water sitting in line that is exposed to the cold.

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pooriggy said:
I'm not sure if the ball valve inside the house is not complete shutting or if the water in the line between ball valve and outdoor spigot is gravity draining.

In any case I'd replace ball valve with this ball valve to drain the line for winterization. Ideally there should not be water sitting in line that is exposed to the cold.

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Im at work, Mrs Walter sent the pic, ill take a looksee when I get home. Thanks.
 
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