The pipe that goes to my outside faucet for the garden hose doesn't have a shutoff valve. I traced it in the basement back to the pipes that feed the kitchen sink. I had heard you can get a cover for the faucet to keep it from freezing in the winter. I asked about it at the local hardware store and the guy recommended I install a shutoff valve myself. He showed me a quarter-turn compression valve and said all I'd need is a hacksaw to cut the pipe, with no soldering needed.
So, a few questions from a plumbing novice:
1. Is it as easy as he makes it out to be? Are there any gotchas installing these? Will it work if my cuts aren't perfectly perpendicular to the pipe?
2. Is there a requirement for placement of the valve? (i.e., needs to be within X feet of the outside wall, or X feet away from the outside wall, etc.) I'm in Massachusetts.
3. Any recommendations on brand or type of compression valve?
4. It's copper pipe and says 1/2 on it, although holding a ruler up next to it it looks like it's 5/8". Does that mean the inside diameter is 1/2"? Just curious on this one.
Thanks for any advice/info.
-cb
So, a few questions from a plumbing novice:
1. Is it as easy as he makes it out to be? Are there any gotchas installing these? Will it work if my cuts aren't perfectly perpendicular to the pipe?
2. Is there a requirement for placement of the valve? (i.e., needs to be within X feet of the outside wall, or X feet away from the outside wall, etc.) I'm in Massachusetts.
3. Any recommendations on brand or type of compression valve?
4. It's copper pipe and says 1/2 on it, although holding a ruler up next to it it looks like it's 5/8". Does that mean the inside diameter is 1/2"? Just curious on this one.
Thanks for any advice/info.
-cb