Project 8: Replacing the Water Supply Valve

While we're on the subject of washing machines (see last post) I thought I'd show you how to replace a water supply valve; like the one you hook a washing machine up to. 

The reason we replaced ours was it had a bit of hose sticking out of it and was completely calcified with limescale. If you have hard water and a teeny tiny leak in you faucet then the compounds found in your water will calcify forming what looks like white flaky stuff around your faucet. Our faucet looked like someone had tried to unhook a washer, couldn't unscrew the hose because of the limescale so they said 'screw this' and just cut through the hose... that's always a good idea, just leave the problem for the next homeowner. 

Anyways... Here's what we did:

Step 1

TURN OFF YOUR WATER. It's in all caps because it's important... Turn off your water and then turn on the lowest faucet in the house (tub if you have one) to run the water out of the line as much as possible. If you forget this step you'll have a pretty big mess on your hands.

Step 2

Unscrew the old supply valve using a pipe wrench. That's right, it just unscrews like a light bulb; if light bulbs were on so tight that the you needed to use a wrench. You may need to put a little muscle behind it. If there is calcification this can be pretty stiff.

This is what it looks like without the valve...ewww

 

Now's the time to put on the cap that protects the wall from the valve...ahhh, much better

 

Step 3

So, see that white band around the end of the pipe? That's the old silicone tape. scrape that off so you can put on some new stuff. This is what the silicon tape looks like:

You just hold down the end and start wrapping it around the threads of pipe. You wrap it around about twice before breaking it off. This helps seal the connection between the pipe and your new valve so no teeny tiny leak makes your calcification problem happen all over again. Here we are wrapping it around the thread:

Step 4

Screw on the new valve:

Tightening it with the pipe wrench:

That's it! Sit back and look at the new valve and pat yourself on the back (and turn the water back on):

If you're me... try not to look at the GIANT HOLE IN THE WALL right under it... that's a problem for another day:

Price: about $15 at Lowe's for the tape and valve

Time: 15 mins

Difficulty: Easy... hardest part is figuring out how to shut off your water.