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Would you change this valve during the Winter?

larryjbjr
larryjbjr Member Posts: 69
in Gas Heating
Ok, this is the main shutoff for the supply side of my hydronic boiler. It is, I think, 1 1/4 pipe. I have had to close it a few times in the last few months while working on the heating system, and every time I do so it starts dripping, and keeps dripping
after I open it all the way again. But, after a few days it stops. The problem is, it could turn into a horror story. I figure I'll just wait till spring or summer and do it. But, I'm concerned that it could be like a water pump on a car, go from dripping to gushing in no time flat.

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,845
    edited December 2016
    Where is the drip from? I can't quite see through all the green, but it looks as though there may be a packing nut on the valve stem, and if that's where it dripping from, you could try tweakng that. Very very gently... And if it is that, it's unlikely to turn into a gusher, though odder things have happened.

    I doubt you need to change out the whole valve, though.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    kcopp
  • larryjbjr
    larryjbjr Member Posts: 69
    Yes, it's dripping, when it drips, from the stem and nut.

  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,858
    Carefully tighten the packing nit and it should stop...

    ME

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • larryjbjr
    larryjbjr Member Posts: 69
    Ok, I'll do that tomorrow.

    Thank you.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,274
    IIWM, with the valve open, I would close it part way. Then carefully loosen the packing nut maybe 1/2 a turn. Wire brush the threads on the bonnet cap as that is where the packing nut must advance to. Carefully tighten the packing nut a little past where it was. You can feel it snug up. Open the valve completely and if a drip persists, close valve part way and a little more snug on the nut. As the internal packing gets wet it expands and helps tighten things around the stem.

    You can add more packing under the nut if needed.

    That would not be terrible to change the whole valve as there is copper connected to the top side. Cut and solder as needed.
  • rick in Alaska
    rick in Alaska Member Posts: 1,466
    I almost always find the packing nut is maxed out. I will close the valve down all the way, and then take the packing nut off. With the valve closed all the way, no water should come out. See if you can get the handle off first, but if you can't this will still work. Just get as much room as you can.
    Then take either new packing material, like graphite string, and wrap it around the valve stem in a clockwise pattern until there is just enough room to get the nut back on about one turn, then snug the nut down until you feel a little resistance. Open up the valve all the way, and then back it off 1/4 turn. If the valve leaks at this point, snug it down until it stops, but no more. This leaves room for more adjustment later, and makes it so the valve can be opened and closed easier.
    I have taken teflon tape and twisted it up in to a string and used it the same as the graphite string. Works in a pinch.
    Rick

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