Ball valves are an important part of both plumbing and piping systems. While they are generally very durable and leak resistant, they are not immune to damage. Luckily, fixing a ball valve is relatively simple once you understand the proper steps of the process. As a bonus, the skills you learn from a ball valve replacement can carry over and add insight into many different plumbing issues.
Steps to Fix a Ball Valve
The only tools needed for the first part of this process are an adjustable wrench and a cloth. Later, you may need to have a screwdriver, screws, and lubricating oil available, depending on your circumstances. Once you have acquired these tools, follow the steps listed below to complete your ball valve replacement!
1. Turn off Water Supply
This first step is extremely important because without making sure that the water is properly turned off, the replacement could be interrupted. The water flow interfering with this process could waste not only time but supplies as well, potentially jeopardizing the success of the replacement. Turning off the water supply guarantees that you don’t waste any more water than has already been wasted because of the broken ball valve.
After the water has been cut off, drain any excess water and dry off the valve with a cloth. You can then remove the handle to find where the ball valve is held together by screws. Next, use the adjustable wrench to remove it. From here, you will easily be able to remove and disassemble the ball valve, revealing the source of the problem.
2. Remove and Disassemble the Ball Valve
Organization is the key to completing the next step of the process. Remember to keep all of the parts together when removing and disassembling the ball valve. If parts get lost or misplaced, it will be more difficult to correctly find the source of the problem. This will lead to confusion and will perhaps even cause you to spend more money than necessary. By keeping the parts of the ball valve together, you are ensuring that, if you discover that any parts of the ball valve are salvageable, the reassembling process will be easy and stress-free.
Every type of ball valve is made a little differently. They have different parts to meet different needs, but generally you will be inspecting four different parts if you are working with a compact PVC ball valve: the handle, the double stem O-ring, joint end additional O-rings, and the ball valve sphere.
3. Inspect Ball Valve Parts
Inspecting the parts of the ball valve requires a bit of patience but the tedious time spent will be worth the trouble. By looking at each part you should be able to find cracks or wear and tear that might have led to the leaking or non-functioning ball valve. If you discover a problem on a specific part but notice that the rest of the ball valve parts seem to be normal and able to function well, the best solution would be to order a replacement part. Once you have replaced the damaged part, use the lubricating oil and the screws to reassemble the parts. If this is the case then you don’t need to follow through to step four. However, if you notice damage to multiple parts of your ball valve or it seems damaged beyond repair you will need to buy a completely new ball valve.
4. Replace Ball Valve
If, after completing the steps to fix a ball valve listed above, you discover that you need a total ball valve replacement, check out some of the options offered at PVC Fittings Online. We have a wide variety of ball valves that are sure to meet your specific need. Our new deluxe compact ball valve is extremely durable and polished, boasting an easy to use handle to prevent breakage or the need to use pliers. If you are looking for something a little more versatile, take a look at our true union ball valve which has removable ends in addition to its sturdy design.
If you have any questions relating to your own ball valve replacement, feel free to contact us at (866) 585-1168! We carry replacement parts for a huge number of ball valve models! Check out our selection of ball valves below:
