Is it compression or sweat fitting? Also, using SharkBite?

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DavidV_NC

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I have a leaking toilet valve which I plan to replace. I just bought my first house so I'm new to plumbing DYI. I have two questions:

1. I'm thinking of using a SharkBite angle stop (http://www.sharkbite.com/product/angle-stops/) Anyone out there have good or bad reviews to share? All the reviews I've seen are positive, but I wondered if anyone here had used them.

2. I don't know if the old angle stop was attached using a compression or sweat fitting. Obviously that would affect how I would remove it, and I didn't know if there's a way to tell? (Sorry if that is a dumb question. They look roughly the same as far as I can tell.) I've attached a photo of the fitting.

Thanks.
 

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Reach4

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I think you are assuming the worst.

Maybe I would be wrong, but I would just remove the flex hose, and then try to unscrew the valve by using an open end wrench. I would try to apply torque with the wrench while minimizing other forces. That means I would be pressing CCW on the end of the handle while applying counter force with the other hand to the fitting end of the wrench to counter side force. Most likely one end or the other of the nipple will come loose. Maybe the end in the wall comes loose. No problem. You can replace the nipple when you put your new 1/4 turn ball valve in place.

Replace the escutcheon while you have things apart.

Maybe you should maybe wait for a plumber to offer a suggestion before cranking on the pipes and fittings.
 

Jadnashua

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If you can avoid it, try to keep the stub coming out of the wall from rotating or having any off-angle stress. You'll probably have enough torque to get the valve off with a fairly common wrench on the valve body itself. With all of the paint, I doubt any penetrating oil would do much, anyway. TO hold the nipple, a pipe wrench is probably your best bet, locking pliers or regular ones will likely just score it all up. IF you're lucky, maybe a strap wrench might have enough grip, and not mar anything.

If you move the nipple in the wall, you'll probably want to take it out, and replace. It can be a real pain if the pipe in the wall moves when you take the nipple out if it isn't supported, it could drop or rise, making alignment with a new piece in the same hole impossible without tearing up some wall.

These are worst case, well, worst case would be the pipe in the wall fractures, but you'll get an idea if you can safely remove the valve from the stub - if that's all good, you should be okay. Remodel plumbing on old steel pipes is fraught with what-ifs. FWIW, if all or most of your piping is steel, you might want to start to budget for a repipe in the future. Better to do it on your time verses when something fails in an emergency.
 

DavidV_NC

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Thanks for all the information and suggestions. I hadn't thought of a strap wrench. I was afraid of mangling the pipe with an ordinary pipe wrench, so I'll give a strap wrench a try, anyway.

I'm trying to be aware of potential worst-case scenarios while hoping none occur... At least most of my piping is copper, so that's good anyway.

I'll give this a try and post here again if I run into trouble. Thanks again for the help.
 

JerryR

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I have a leaking toilet valve which I plan to replace. I just bought my first house so I'm new to plumbing DYI. I have two questions:

1. I'm thinking of using a SharkBite angle stop (http://www.sharkbite.com/product/angle-stops/) Anyone out there have good or bad reviews to share? All the reviews I've seen are positive, but I wondered if anyone here had used them.

2. I don't know if the old angle stop was attached using a compression or sweat fitting. Obviously that would affect how I would remove it, and I didn't know if there's a way to tell? (Sorry if that is a dumb question. They look roughly the same as far as I can tell.) I've attached a photo of the fitting.

Thanks.

Definitely not sweat. That's a compression Angle stop.

A sharkbite needs good clean pipe which you do not have. Don't even attempt to use a sharkbite there.

Put on another compression stop. If you get lucky you may be able to use the original nut and compression ring.
 
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Terry

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Compression.

Like Jerry mentions, you may be able to reuse the nut and compression ring.

You can also pick up a sleeve puller at the hardware store that will slide the back nut off. That way you can replace the escutcheon, and install everything new.

sleeve_puller_2.jpg
 
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Jadnashua

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Well, all of the paint fooled me, sorry. Looked like a threaded valve - that's where a pro comes in handy!

Use two wrenches - one holding the body of the valve on those flats so the valve doesn't rotate, and a second one on the nut to loosen it.
 

hj

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That is NEITHER a sweat nor screwed valve. It is a compression connection, and I would just remove the valve and attach a new one using the same nut and sleeve, unless the paint bothers your aesthetic sensibilities.
 

DavidV_NC

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Thanks, everyone. I much appreciate your taking the time to help me out. I'll plan to take off the compression valve and hope I can reuse the nut and sleeve, but otherwise I'll use a sleeve puller to put all new hardware on.
 
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