I was wondering if any of you guys could help me out with some suggestions.
I have a stop valve in the supply line of my water heater that has started leaking at the stem. I thought it would be a simple task of repacking the packing nut, but that does not seem to be working. I am using the graphite type packing rope and have wound it 3 times around the stem a couple of times now. What is going on is that initially the leak stops, but after half a day or so, it comes back and gradually gets worse. That happens even after retightening the nut. Trying to add more packing rope to build up what is already there has not been possible as the rope already in the nut gets all mangled when I remove it, so I am having to start over.
Do I need to use a different type of packing material because this valve is attached to a water heater and consequently gets warm/a little bit hot? Could the packing nut be bad and needing to be replaced if that is even possible? I am turning the nut until I start seeing the packing material come out the top.
I have been thinking if that has something to do with the pressure in the tank. The pressure relieve valve has been working as expected as it is not obstructed.
I have a stop valve in the supply line of my water heater that has started leaking at the stem. I thought it would be a simple task of repacking the packing nut, but that does not seem to be working. I am using the graphite type packing rope and have wound it 3 times around the stem a couple of times now. What is going on is that initially the leak stops, but after half a day or so, it comes back and gradually gets worse. That happens even after retightening the nut. Trying to add more packing rope to build up what is already there has not been possible as the rope already in the nut gets all mangled when I remove it, so I am having to start over.
Do I need to use a different type of packing material because this valve is attached to a water heater and consequently gets warm/a little bit hot? Could the packing nut be bad and needing to be replaced if that is even possible? I am turning the nut until I start seeing the packing material come out the top.
I have been thinking if that has something to do with the pressure in the tank. The pressure relieve valve has been working as expected as it is not obstructed.