Plumbing Valve Repair King City

There are many ways to tell that your plumbing valve needs some work. The most obvious is leaking water. If your plumbing valve is leaking, that means some part of it is broken, and the valve assembly needs repairing or replacing. Reduced water pressure can also be a sign that the valve is in need of some tender loving care and could indicate an issue with the valve mechanism as a whole or with the valve assembly. Not seeing or hearing water whistling, hissing, or banging in a pipe connected to a valve, especially when the valve is in use, is another way to know the valve is healthy. If you are unsure of its condition, it's a good idea to have it checked out.

How long does it take to fix a plumbing valve? Well, that can depend on a couple of things: how complicated the valve issue is and how accessible the valve is. For straightforward problems, like a valve that's just loose and needs to be tightened or a valve that's a little too old and just needs a washer replacement, these can be 30-minute jobs. But if we're talking about an involved fix, like a valve replacement, or if the problem turns out to be a little more upstream, with the piping that feeds the valve, then we're looking at a job that might stretch from 2 hours to who-knows-when.

Repairs to valves that are not major, like tightening and replacing certain easily seen parts, could be done by a knowledgeable and handy homeowner. But for most valve repairs, it is advisable to call in a pro. Why? Because licensed plumbers have the know-how to not only fix the valve but also solve the plumbing problem that caused the valve to fail in the first place. And plumbers come with the essential tools that would be expensive for a homeowner to buy, and with the repairs that would be a fraction of the cost of the tools. And come with peace of mind that if the problem recurs, you're not "under warranty" for the service.

When it comes to repairing plumbing valves, a number of tools are necessary to accomplish the task properly. Simple, hand-held implements like adjustable wrenches, slip-joint pliers, and pipe wrenches are used to control and turn the valves before the actual repair can proceed. If the valve is repaired correctly, it should function like new for a surprisingly long time, in part because plumbing valves are relatively simple pieces of machinery. When valves do need repair, they usually require a bit more elbow grease and some specialized equipment, which most plumbers have in their tool chests.

Undoubtedly, mending a defective valve can lower your water bills. Your valve may control a number of systems, and any of them could be part of your plumbing. If a valve in your plumbing is leaking or not functioning properly, it could be allowing a huge amount of water to escape – to say nothing of the water pressure, which would likely be either very high or very low and might be causing the same problems downstream in your system that a defect in the valve could cause upstream. And given that so many people are using so much water all the time, even if a defect in the valve is allowing just a little bit of water to escape, that's a lot of water over time, and that's a lot of water over a year. And you could EASILY be talking hundreds of dollars.

When you spot a leak near a plumbing valve, it's vital to take action and rectify it before any serious harm can occur. The first step is to locate the source of the leak. This could be as simple as tightening a loose fitting or replacing an old washer, but it could just as well be a sign of serious plumbing problems. If anything is telling you not to go it alone on this repair, find the number for a professional plumber in King City and give them a call. You're almost surely facing a situation that could lead to much higher repair costs if the plumbing in question isn't fixed pronto.

Certainly, taking precautions can help lower the chances of plumbing valve problems. Regularly checking the accessible valves for wear, rust, or leaks can help find any likely problems before they get too serious. It's also a good idea to use the valves regularly—if you have any plumbing valves that aren't used often, make a point to exercise them every few months. That can help keep them from seizing up. And if you must call in a professional, it's certainly better to do so when you can detect the plumbing problem at an early stage. These are all good steps to take if you want to avoid plumbing valve problems.

Repairing a plumbing valve can sometimes be pricey—yet it doesn't always have to be. When the problem is minor and requires little more than a part or two (like a washer or two, for instance), you might only be looking at a labor cost for that repair. My estimate for a labor price on a warranty-repair valve ranges from low professional to high DIY. When the problem's a little more serious—say the valve itself needs replacing or there's an issue with the pipeline—that price jumps up pretty significantly. All told, I think you're safe estimating a worst-case scenario at $400 and a labor-to-parts price ratio that's pretty favorable for the parts.

In homes, the kinds of plumbing valves most frequently seen are gate valves, ball valves, and globe valves. Each of these serves a particular purpose and does so quite well. Gate valves work best when you want to shut off the water—it’s either on or off, and they’re often found right before the main water line enters the house. Ball valves are another story. Known for their durability and used in many applications, these valves provide a reliable and quick means of shunting the flow wherever you want it to go. And if you happen to want to regulate flow, you might employ a globe valve. These valves are used in many kinds of fixtures, like a faucet.

Valves in plumbing systems can suddenly stop functioning, and several factors can cause this to happen. One of them is mineral buildup due to hard water, which can be a common occurrence in certain parts of King City. This can serve to block up a valve and keep it from doing its valve thing. Also, there's just the natural attrition that can happen over time. Washers or O-rings can wear out just from the regular motion of going from closed to open to fully opened. Then there's the maintenance question. Corroded parts serve only as a failure point when you've waited too long to fix a slow leak. Wouldn't regular maintenance be the solution?