# Can't turn off water to replace kitchen faucet



## zebrafish (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi all,

I have the normal deal under the kitchen sink with two valves to turn, to turn off the water.    I turned both slowly and carefully to the right, all the way, and did not force them.  The water doesn't turn off. 


I really hope I don't have to go turn the water off outside, because it will affect four other condos if I do.  I don't see any other mechanism by which to turn off the water coming to the kitchen faucet. 

Help!


----------



## oldognewtrick (Aug 26, 2014)

Check near the water heater, that would be my best guess from here.When you turned the valves to the stops, did it slow the water flow any?


----------



## nealtw (Aug 26, 2014)

If you have your own hoit watr tank you may find a main there before the tank.


----------



## zebrafish (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi Oldognewtrick, it did not slow the water flow at all

I do have my own hot water tank.  I will take a look, 
but have to go kill some black widows to get in there,
ugh. 

Thanks for the suggestion.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Aug 26, 2014)

zebrafish said:


> Hi Oldognewtrick, it did not slow the water flow at all
> 
> I do have my own hot water tank.  I will take a look,
> but *have to go kill some black widows to get in there,*ugh.
> ...



Wll, if nothing else, this needs to be done.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Aug 26, 2014)

If you find out where to turn off the water, before you take the faucet out, get 2 new replacement valves.


----------



## kok328 (Aug 26, 2014)

sounds like the handles are turning but not the core of the valve.
remove the handles and turn the valve core with some channel locks or vice grips.


----------



## slownsteady (Aug 26, 2014)

Top of the list is to find that main water valve. After that, It is the best time to repair the stop valves under the sink. I was lucky recently in not having to replace the whole valve, which was sweated in. I just loosened the front cap and replaced the stem. I probably could have just replaced the washer if I had one.

After you solve the valves, you can turn the water back on so that the toilets flush and people can use other sinks in the unit.


----------



## beachguy005 (Aug 26, 2014)

zebrafish said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I turned both slowly and carefully to the right, all the way, and did not force them.  The water doesn't turn off.
> 
> ...



 I hate to ask the obvious but, did you turn them all the way to the left also?


----------



## slownsteady (Aug 27, 2014)

After you're sure that the water is turned off, you can open the valve by loosening the nut labeled with the red A

The washer labeled B is probably cracked and may even be missing. Replace that washer and the stop valve will work properly.


----------



## zebrafish (Aug 27, 2014)

Hi, yes I did turn the valves all the way to the left, and that didn't work either.  Ok,  I found the lever that turns off the water, by the hot water heater.   Can I just turn it off, or do I have to worry about turning the water heater off too?  I'm thinking not, since obviously there won't be any water heating going on while the water is off.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Aug 27, 2014)

As a precaution, turn it off. Ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure. 

Is it gas or electric?


----------



## bud16415 (Aug 27, 2014)

Leave it on no worries. You go away for days and no water flows in. It should only be an hour or two to repair. 


Sent from my iPhone using Home Repair


----------



## nealtw (Aug 27, 2014)

What if the tank is on the same floor?


----------



## zebrafish (Aug 27, 2014)

The water heater is electric. It's on the same floor - it's in a closet just off the patio.


----------



## slownsteady (Aug 27, 2014)

shouldn't matter. If there's no call for heat, it won't fire up. And if the temp of the standby water calls for heat,...that's normal.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 27, 2014)

slownsteady said:


> shouldn't matter. If there's no call for heat, it won't fire up. And if the temp of the standby water calls for heat,...that's normal.



Turn off the main and the inlet valve on the tank or when you open it up it could drain the tank down to the level of the valves you are working on.


----------



## zebrafish (Aug 28, 2014)

I can't turn off the valve on the water heater either.  I attached
a photo of the valve. 

I can't budge it.


----------



## oldognewtrick (Aug 28, 2014)

Which way are you trying to turn it?


----------



## zebrafish (Aug 28, 2014)

I tried turning it both right and left, and it won't budge, either way.


----------



## nealtw (Aug 28, 2014)

Turn off the main and open both hot and cold in the kitchen and see if the the tank drains too. If it does turn off the tank and drain it below the level of the valves you want to work on.
 Changing out a fauset is supposed to be fairly easy. You are not having any luck here.


----------



## slownsteady (Aug 28, 2014)

It probably hasn't been "exercised" in years - maybe never. You can tap the side of the valve with a wrench a few times and then try it again. Remember that I said "tap" and not "bang".


----------



## Wuzzat? (Aug 29, 2014)

With a helper torqueing the valve shaft in either direction or both and another standing by at some shutoff valve somewhere upstream, 
try-
Heating (with a candle flame) or 
cooling (freezemist in a can) the valves may free them but I've never tried this, or
whacking them really hard with a screwdriver shaft.  The mass of a screwdriver shaft is small so this will limit how much energy you are putting into the valve. 

You don't have much to lose at this point.

Then, have a plumber install a few ball valves so you can isolate sections of your house after he/she fixes these valve problems.


----------



## slownsteady (Aug 29, 2014)

I hate to state the obvious, but that is a ball valve and it is only going to turn 1/4 of a turn.


----------



## zebrafish (Sep 4, 2014)

Hi all,

Here's a close-up of that ball valve.  Do any of you know what kind of ball-valve it is?   I'm now just trying to learn more about how this particular ball-valve works:

Thanks


----------



## slownsteady (Sep 4, 2014)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_valve

in short, when the valve handle is in line with the pipe, the valve is open; when you turn the handle 90 degrees (1/4 turn) the valve is closed. Usually, there is a metal tab sticking up next to the handle to prevent the handle from turning more than 90 degrees.  In your case, it looks like you should turn the valve to the left (as you are facing the wall), to close it.

Sometimes, they require a little oommph to get started, but as long as the pipes are in good shapes you can give it a little oommph without damaging the valve. A ball valve is generally the better kind of valve to have, so that's a good thing.


----------



## odorf (Sep 28, 2014)

here is the water system in a nut shell
 water comes into house from meter.  meter has a valve

at each fixture,  there is a valve  hot and cold

your water heater has a valve on the cold side only

only time you need to turn off the valve at the wh  is when you work on the heater,  or if there is a problem in the house on the hot water pipes

turn off the main water meter valve

bleed pressure, the install your new faucet,


----------

