# Gate Valve Not sealing when closed



## jayd (Oct 18, 2018)

The brass gate valve main water shut off in my home will not seal completely when closed, there is a small amount of bypass when closed. The valve has been cycled from open to closed multiple times.
Is this possibly caused by calcium deposits or is the seat/gate damaged by erosion?


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

You need to really crank down on those, don’t be afraid to put too much pressure on it. Sometimes you need a pipe wrench on the handle to get it to close completely.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

You got the sequence wrong! it should be closed-open-closed-open and not the other way around.

Would you see yourself driving backward like this?


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Debo22 said:


> You need to really crank down on those, don’t be afraid to put too much pressure on it. Sometimes you need a pipe wrench on the handle to get it to close completely.


Break the stem and flood the house?


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Tango said:


> Break the stem and flood the house?


You’re right, that was a bit extreme. 

Jay, a gate valve pretty much never shuts down all the way.


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

Tango said:


> You got the sequence wrong! it should be closed-open-closed-open and not the other way around.


Try this one : 

B, A, B, A, Left, Right, B, A, Left, Right, B, A, Start.

It usually works for me.


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

Now that I think about it, if the above doesn't work, it's most likely a cross connection and you have a piece of fecal matter (corn) stuck on the gate.

Flush the toilet 6 times and then try the valve again.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Darn, he’s gone and I’m late to the party.

Ok, here would be mine...

Well.. everyone covered all the bases. That’s the downside of being a one man show. You sometimes miss out.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Debo22 said:


> You’re right, that was a bit extreme.
> 
> Jay, a gate valve pretty much never shuts down all the way.


I broke a main valve stem once when I applied just a little bit of my pliers. It broke flush to the bonnet. I was able to solder the stem with 50/50 but it was tough, until I could replace it. I really should tell the whole story about that house in the soap thread.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Alan said:


> Try this one :
> 
> B, A, B, A, Left, Right, B, A, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
> 
> It usually works for me.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

Tango said:


> I broke a main valve stem once when I applied just a little bit of my pliers. It broke flush to the bonnet. I was able to solder the stem with 50/50 but it was tough, until I could replace it. I really should tell the whole story about that house in the soap thread.


I usually see the stem break internally leaving the handle free spinning and the water off to the house.


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## JohnnieSqueeze (Mar 23, 2016)

Tango said:


> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II




contra 

all konami games 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

Oh boy you need a professional for this issue to do one of these tricks for you.









Sent from my BLN-L24 using Tapatalk


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

JohnnieSqueeze said:


> contra
> 
> all konami games
> 
> ...



My favorite was turtles in time for the snes.


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## Alan (Jun 18, 2008)

DIY Plumbing thread derailed into 80's video game lore.

Mission accomplished.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

The Dane said:


> Oh boy you need a professional for this issue to do one of these tricks for you.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't own one but for 75$ the homeowner calls the city to have them shut the one underneath the sod. If that doesn't work they excavate and replace it free of charge.

Then I can do my part inside. However they are always in a hurry for me to get done so they move on. Sometimes they leave midway and I have no way to test when I'm done including other repairs. I had to go back in the evening because I had a drip on another repair plus the main pipe started to pi$$ as it was disturbed and had a nail puncture. Those are never ending days. :vs_mad:


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Alan said:


> Try this one :
> 
> B, A, B, A, Left, Right, B, A, Left, Right, B, A, Start.
> 
> It usually works for me.


I never knew about this one. Contra code I remember was ... up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

*My job way back then!*



Alan said:


> Now that I think about it, if the above doesn't work, it's most likely a cross connection and you have a piece of fecal matter (corn) stuck on the gate.
> 
> Flush the toilet 6 times and then try the valve again.


*Back in the early 50's the 2nd job I had was in a dry cleaning shop.
I was on the coat steamer, the way it worked you would put the coat on the steamer, hit the pedal and the resulting steam would remove the wrinkles. Now somtimes the wrinkles would not come out, so there was a spray water gun -- with the steam coming through the jacket the spray of water made the wrinkles go away. Now unknown to me the spray stopped working the lady on the press in front of me said kid when that happens you must go back and flush the toilet. I did and viola the water gun worked again. About 3/4 quaters of an hour later the gun stopped working again. I looked where it was connected and yes she was turning off the valve. I said June turn on the valve. She said kid your going to be alright the last guy went back and flushed the toilet for 6 months. 

*


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> *Back in the early 50's the 2nd job I had was in a dry cleaning shop.*
> *I was on the coat steamer, the way it worked you would put the coat on the steamer, hit the pedal and the resulting steam would remove the wrinkles. Now somtimes the wrinkles would not come out, so there was a spray water gun -- with the steam coming through the jacket the spray of water made the wrinkles go away. Now unknown to me the spray stopped working the lady on the press in front of me said kid when that happens you must go back and flush the toilet. I did and viola the water gun worked again. About 3/4 quaters of an hour later the gun stopped working again. I looked where it was connected and yes she was turning off the valve. I said June turn on the valve. She said kid your going to be alright the last guy went back and flushed the toilet for 6 months. *


 

















That's gold Bill, gold!....


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> *Back in the early 50's the 2nd job I had was in a dry cleaning shop.
> I was on the coat steamer, the way it worked you would put the coat on the steamer, hit the pedal and the resulting steam would remove the wrinkles. Now somtimes the wrinkles would not come out, so there was a spray water gun -- with the steam coming through the jacket the spray of water made the wrinkles go away. Now unknown to me the spray stopped working the lady on the press in front of me said kid when that happens you must go back and flush the toilet. I did and viola the water gun worked again. About 3/4 quaters of an hour later the gun stopped working again. I looked where it was connected and yes she was turning off the valve. I said June turn on the valve. She said kid your going to be alright the last guy went back and flushed the toilet for 6 months.
> 
> *


You sir have your head screwed on right. Too many these days can't even tell right and left apart.

Sent from my BLN-L24 using Tapatalk


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

rosestewar said:


> It may look paradoxical, but in our country, structures that are designed to protect private territory from uninvited guests, animals or just "envious eyes" also need protective measures.


I concur.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

rosestewar said:


> It may look paradoxical, but in our country, structures that are designed to protect private territory from uninvited guests, animals or just "envious eyes" also need protective measures.


Nice intro per forum rules! One of the best yet!

Hint.


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## Bostic Plumbing (Sep 20, 2021)

That is not a stop, it is a slow down as the old plumbers used to tell me. Cut it out and replace it with a ball valve. Maybe 2 of them, one for future use.


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## yijinsolution (11 mo ago)

jayd said:


> The brass gate valve main water shut off in my home will not seal completely when closed, there is a small amount of bypass when closed. The valve has been cycled from open to closed multiple times.
> Is this possibly caused by calcium deposits or is the seat/gate damaged by erosion?


Is this the case when you first bought the seat/gate or has it been used for a while?


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