How to repack a leaking water valve

Replacing old graphite valve stem packing with new Teflon seal.

[@station-wb4izc]

Thanks for posting this video. It helped me to repair two faucets. I had no problems after listening to your video and my Wife describing to me what you did. I am blind and got the job done in about 30 minutes. Thanks again.

[@ronjmeneses]

Hi - thanks for the video. Just a quick note since you are trying to help people and you want them to be able to go to their parts store and ask for the pro.per parts. The black rubber part at the end of the valve is called the washer. The vale "seat" is the part inside the valve housing that the washer seals against. They are both replaceable. The seat sometimes needs a square drive tool to unscrew it with. "Just thought you would want to know.

[@clinkerclint]

More than one way to skin a cat 😊

[@grumpyg9350]

Disappointing day today. Went to Fergusons plumbing to get some packing and, the sales guy said that they did not sell that any more, due to the fact it was old school and to just upgrade to new hardware. Tough to do when you are restoring 93 year old home, as I had explained to him from the second I walked into the storeHe left me alone and I looked on the wall, and there it was. So frustrating now adays. All they sell is cheap crap. Throw away and replace. Thanks for the video.👍👍👍👍🇺🇸😷

[@clinkerclint]

Good deal! I'm glad you found it and hopefully you got it fixed :-)

[@aaronsmith5433]

Proves you have to be warey , mr. Sneakyman tryi n to "upsale" you.

[@pasqualeparente9776]

Clerks do not want to waste time looking for something they don’t know or understand. So all they say it we don’t sell that anymore. Happened to me many times but always found what I needed.

[@j10001]

I just had the same experience at Home Depot (when I asked a random employee in the plumbing aisle). Then I asked if he normally worked in plumbing. He didn’t. So I found the actual plumbing person, and she walked right up to the valve packing and plucked the last package of it off the wall. She knew right where it was! I got lucky.

[@jeffmartinez6073]

Same at HD. Nobody knew what I was looking for. Logged on to their website, it told me the aisle and bay. I found it by the listed price amongst the many other dusty parts.

[@LetsFigureThisOut]

Glad to see someone repair instead on replace. Sure you are only saving a couple of dollars, but some people tend to forget that old parts go into a landfill. Also the balance of the Teflon rope seal will be on-hand for another repair which will save even more money.

[@mercyhm3louisiana]

Thank God I finally found a decent video that is more closely related to my situation with this antique pedestal sink faucet repair! Thank you so much! 🙏👍🏼🙌👏

[@clinkerclint]

That's great! I'm glad it helped you out!

[@aarontwhitehead989]

Thank you for the simple common sense video. I am sure there will be those “perfect” people that find something to criticize but you really helped me.

[@clinkerclint]

Hey, glad it helped!

[@Mary-os1fz]

Thank you so much for this video, clinkerclint! I turned off a valve in my basement that leads to my outside spigots last night and this morning had a puddle in my basement. After watching your video, I went to Home Depot to get some materials and was able to fix it myself. (While I was there the HD guy was kind of rude but I did bump into a very nice plumber who gave me some advice and his phone number in case I ran into any trouble.) Thank you!

[@johnvgig]

I always coat the valve stem with silicone grease, especially the mating surfaces of the handle before reassembly. This helps defer corrosion, so the handle will come off easily next time. On the valve stem itself will lubricate the stem and also help prevent corrosion going forward.

[@charlespratt8534]

You can try tightening the nut a quarter turn before doing any of this to see if it stops the leak first.

[@threeleggedman]

It's a good thing to start with but in my experience it has never fixed things. They're always tightened down all the way from other people trying to fix the leak.

[@kirkglundal4289]

In lieu of the Teflon cord you can also use Teflon tape. Simply roll some out and twist it up into a cord and put a few wraps around just like in the video.

[@clinkerclint]

Great idea!

[@LarryB-inFL]

What you are calling the valve seat is NOT a valve seat, it is a washer. The valve seat is what the washer pushes against. Secondly, going at that packing material with your screwdriver like that, you are lucky you didn't damage the cap nut threads. In a clash between hardened steel vs brass, the brass *will* lose every time. Use a pointed tool, not a broad flat steel tool.

[@clinkerclint]

Thanks for the info sir.

[@kellismith4329]

Or just leave it in there since it is already seated tight, you are putting the rope on the inside anyway

[@chrismalone9469]

Perfect advice and timely. Thanks

[@jerryhaskins1161]

Great video but one of the most critical parts (starting the stem nut after wrapping the packing around the stem) is done off camera.

[@trucklawyer]

Hey, man, thanks. I needed a 30 ft overview. Perfect.

[@tomdale1313]

you can always flip the washer over as a option

[@Kikilang60]

Thanks. I went to Home Depot, and looked for PTFE valve stem packing cord. Couldn't find it. I did what I hate, and asked. He said, "Never heard of. We don't sell it." Well, I'm off to Ace hardware.

[@Kikilang60]

@Lee B. Well, I'm going to remember that. Thanks.

[@j10001]

I found it at Home Depot, but the first employee I asked had no idea, claimed they didn’t sell it in store and told me to try online. Then I found a dedicated plumbing employee, and she knew exactly where it was-handed me a package within seconds.

[@chris9712]

Yes they do

[@levijacobs2084]

Thanks man, this is great! Just what i needed to see.

[@benjaminbrewer2569]

Life saver! Thank you.

[@NYNick49]

Very helpful...thanks!

[@dks13827]

Fine video, thank you. I always replace all the parts possible !!!!! Not that costly.

[@EGlideKid]

Nicely done. Thank you!

[@clinkerclint]

You're welcome!

[@ljeff46]

Thanks, good video.

[@thomasdipaolo2349]

appreciate the video

[@Steve-uq7np]

Soak all the green parts in white vinegar and clean with 0000 steel wool….

[@marathonrunner715]

im going in boys, wish me luck

[@clinkerclint]

You got this!

[@baylortaylor6378]

Any idea where I could find s stem like that

[@Robinson-Homestead]

You didn't show if it leaked

[@clinkerclint]

No, it did not leak.

[@christosvolikakis1523]

Tried buying this online from Amazon, but they don’t sell it to the San Francisco Bay Area. Any plumbers out there who suggest what size to always have on hand for water, high-pressure, and high heat valves? 3/32” graphite, or PTFE? I’m putting together a basic plumbers toolbox for a family member and new homeowner.

[@lawofattractionc61]

thanks bud

[@kabirulmallick5241]

tnx

[@PanamaSticks]

We didn't get to see if you actually wound up with a leak free faucet.

[@clinkerclint]

No leaks.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

Do all the handles just pull off? Or do some unscrew? My handles are rusted mess and I can't get them to separate from the stem

[@clinkerclint]

It should pull off. Soak it in your favorite penetrating oil and lightly tap on the handle with a small hammer.. Take your time. Let the oil do the work. The tapping can help get the oil into the splines. If you have the time, let it soak for a couple of hours. Some of them are very stubborn and some of them just end up breaking.

[@Samlol23_drrich]

​@@clinkerclintthank you very much for responding. I have five leaking gate valves in my hydronic heating system. They are sweat X sweat so I don't want to remove the entire valve. I will see what I can do about the rust and mineral situation. Thank you again for your quick response

[@clinkerclint]

@@Samlol23_drrich you're welcome and good luck!

[@kellismith4329]

You can buy a puller for the knobs/handles quite cheap, they make quick work of stuck handles without damaging stuff

[@Samlol23_drrich]

@@kellismith4329 thank you.

[@gerrafj3]

I could hear the scraping you were doing louder than I could hear your voice. Doing a video you have to remember the instructional audio is very important to your viewer, so please raise your voice.

[@gustavoalverio208]

I'm having trouble with this for my shower handles. The problem is it seems like no packing is enough to stop the water, and still allowing me to turn the handle easily. If I put a lot of packing and tighten it, the handle becomes too difficult to turn, and I'm worried that with enough force I'll end up unscrewing the entire thing out of the pipe. Any advice?

[@aaronsmith5433]

I solved a similar leak with Teflon tape draped over the stem and down the side. Let the stem puncture the tape as you deal it down. I didn't trim it , figured any excess would be good in there.

[@gusgusfl]

Aaron Smith that’s a great idea! Thanks!

[@nairdaboss]

How did you stopped the water from running? Is it possible if we can’t close water from outside the house?

[@j10001]

Follow the pipe back to the nearest shutoff valve. Hopefully it’s inside your house!

[@nairdaboss]

@@j10001 not posible, it was coming from the city. But thanks

[@jhuesmann]

Assume you have to turn off the valve in the street before you can remove your valve...

[@appleztooranges]

My handle won’t come off. Any idea how to remove it?

[@Quercusalba1]

I sprayed mine with CLR and let soak a few minutes, vinegar might work. The wiggle gently.

[@TheEgg185]

Should of spray painted the knob.

[@clinkerclint]

TheEgg185 good point! Would have made it look a lot better!

[@johna9841]

I think you video is very good and informative. With that said, Why be cheep? Just buy a new hose bib for under $10.00

[@clinkerclint]

That is definitely an option. I chose not to.

[@pasqualeparente9776]

Did you hear him when he said it was 10 PM.

[@maxresolution1495]

does all the water in the entire house need to me shut off?

[@clinkerclint]

it depends on how your house is plumbed. in this particular house, yes, the entire house water supply had to be shut off

[@maxresolution1495]

Ok thanks, good video

[@midnightblue69]

"I'm not entirely sure how much to use, We're just gunna try this" But you made a video?? And never show the end result? I wonder why the video is cut short? LOL

[@clinkerclint]

Danny nuff'said Relax Danny boy. It worked perfectly. If you want a better video, go buy a plumbing DVD or just chill out and enjoy the education you were just given, free of charge.

[@josevillanuevajr3070]

🖕🏾 Danny nuff’said