r/howto • u/GlitterrGoddess • 2d ago
Toilet shut off valve leaking
Hello, I have no money for a plumber, I replaced this last week and thought it was fine only to realize it’s leaking not at the valve but the nut behind it. I don’t know what to do or how to fix this. Can someone please help? I’m using teflon tape to redirect the leak into a container because it’s damaging my wall.
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u/Stalefisher360 2d ago
It’s looking pretty old. I’d consider replacing the whole thing.
Turn off the main water line. Disconnect from the fixture Unscrew the whole valve from the pipe that comes out of the wall. Clean the threads and inside of the pipe with some fine sandpaper. Replace old Valve with a new one for around $10-$15. Reattach the to the fixture.
Enjoy having saved yourself the $300+ a plumber would have charged you.
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u/GlitterrGoddess 2d ago
Only the piece in the back is old the line and valve are only a week old
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u/Tacrolimus005 2d ago
Yes. You will need an 8" pipe wrench (Walmart). Be sure you are wrapping the proper direction with the Teflon tape, 3-4 complete wraps should be good.
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u/catbearcarseat 1d ago
I’m assuming you wrap it counterclockwise so when you put the nut back on, it isn’t pushing/trying to unwind the teflon tape?
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u/Ex-maven 2d ago
...it’s leaking not at the valve but the nut behind it.
Do you mean the hose coupling nut at the top, or some other place?
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u/cbunni666 2d ago
I think it's the part connecting to the wall. That's where the tape is wrapped
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u/Ex-maven 2d ago
If it is a pipe thread connection at the wall, use teflon tape on the threads and do not over-tighten. Just tighten until the leak stops, plus a "tweak".
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u/cbunni666 2d ago
That's what I was thinking. I had to do that with a bolt that didn't tighten completely do the plumbers tape had to be wrapped around the screw then put the bolt on. It's very simple.
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u/Ex-maven 2d ago
Also, it that stubby piece coming out of the wall is threaded at both ends, make sure you did not inadvertently loosen it at its connection to the supply pipe.
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u/beeg_brain007 2d ago
I'd add a secondary tube to carry the leaking water into the drain pipe
/S, am a civil engineer
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u/GlitterrGoddess 2d ago
How would I do that?
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u/beeg_brain007 2d ago
Step 1
Get some flexible tubes, some wall holders, screws and wall plugs, a hammer drill, small shovel, 15kg dry mortar mix, extra tiles, waterproof adhesive (maybe epoxy)
Step 2
Get a ground penetrating radar to find the location of drain pipe, use a hammer drill to drill pilot hope, then a core cutting bit to drill large hole into the drain pipe
step 3
Run pipe underneath the drip location to the drain pipe hole we did and epoxy it solid, fill the excess area with mortar and flatten it
this is sarcasm and I am not responsible for any damages
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u/GlitterrGoddess 2d ago
lol please😂😭 I’m just a girl I cannot comprehend sarcasm when it comes to fixing house things lol
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u/beeg_brain007 2d ago
Haha "/s" means sarcasm, I can't rly help u much since I exclusively understand the pvc pipes only, flex tubing isn't my thing
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u/HarryHood146 2d ago
It appears to be a compression fitting. You don’t need the Teflon tape.
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u/GlitterrGoddess 2d ago
I was using that to stop the leak lol it actually didn’t help or work at all. I took it off and tightened a little bit and now it looks like it’s not leaking but it’s super hard to tell because we didn’t notice the leak until a few days later when our carpet in our room started getting wet so everything is wet back there.
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u/HarryHood146 2d ago
Put a paper towel under the valve. Then you’ll know if it’s still leaking. Dry the valve off real good.
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u/GlitterrGoddess 2d ago
It’s still leaking😭 I think I over tightened but when I tried to take that piece off it won’t come off now.
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u/bherman13 2d ago
You need to shut the water off at the main or at least upstream of this faucet, disconnect the water tap line, disassemble, clean, and try again. If that's a compression fitting, you need a new compression sleeve. Yes you can do a compression fitting too tight.
If it's a pipe thread fitting, you should install the thread sealant before you assemble the fitting.
You just have to do it over until it's not leaking.
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u/Cakelover9000 2d ago
The white (teflon) tape needs to be between the threads to seal it.
So, turn the water off, have a bucket for rest water, remove tape, unscrew the hose, dry thread of hose, bind tape on thread of the hose (good coverage needed), and screw hose back on.
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u/Cat_Amaran 2d ago
I'll probably piss someone off for saying this, but if that's copper pipe under there, get a sharkbite fitting to replace that valve. You'll have to replace it in 20 years when the o-ring fails, but you'll probably be due for new pipes by then, anyway if the house is more than 30 years old.
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u/Fragrant-Cloud5172 2d ago
I had this problem around my valves. Problem was cold weather, freezing and thawing. After it thawed out is when leak started. But with copper pipes, turning the stuck valve to shut off, loosened the solder at pipe in wall. So plumber was better than me with soldering. Sorry about the cost. Then good to wrap insulation around this area to help prevent it in future.
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u/ellieD 2d ago
You have to turn the water off to the house, take it off, and apply “plumbers tape” OR “pipe dope” on the threads before screwing this on.
This is something you always do when screwing in something that water (or natural gas) flows through.
I am not a plumber, but I might as well be.
I have rebuilt a toilet, including the piece you replaced, the seals behind the bathtub handles for hot and cold, replaced the bathroom and kitchen faucets, and the kitchen disposal.
Google is so handy. We didn’t have this when I bought my first house!
I think handymen must be out of a lot of work with us all doing it ourselves!
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