[TXinNJ]

I have a little issue with a leaking valve on the cold water input pipe into my water heater. The mail stop valve is fine and I cleaned it up a bit, but about 4" above it there is a small valve with a small copper tube running into it and it is leaking. I have no idea what this valve is for or where the small copper pipe runs once it goes behind the wall.

I have the valve turned off for now, but I'm curious if anyone has seen anything like this before and might have an idea as to why someone might set up a water heater in this fashion.

Thanks

 

[palawman30]

That looks like a icemaker/water hook up for you fridge. You can easily just replace it...
try opening it all the way also but they are easy to fix...

Is it leaking from the small copper line/compression fitting or the valve handle itself?

 

[elkman]

Take it away zone9deerslayer.

 

[smoking gun]

Can I have all your copper tubing I'll exchange it with pcv

 

[rozzo842]

If its leaking from the nut under the handle it is most likely the packing. This seems to be the case if it stopped leaking when you shut the valve. Open it back up and tighten the nut till it stops leaking.

 

[TXinNJ]

That looks like a icemaker/water hook up for you fridge. You can easily just replace it...
try opening it all the way also but they are easy to fix...

Is it leaking from the small copper line/compression fitting or the valve handle itself?

running to the ice maker in the fridge. That makes a lot of sense.

It appears to be leaking from under the clamp. Perhaps where the valve is tapped into the main pipe. There appears to be a black piece of rubber or plastic in there. Maybe it is some kind of seal that has failed. Even with the valve turned off there is a small amount of water still leaking from the bottom.

 

[njdeerhunter54]

It looks like it is leaking in more than one place. While in the open position tighten the packing nut (under the handle). while closed tighten the compression nut ( where the small line leaves the valve). It also appears to be leaking at the saddle threads. To fix this you will have to shut off all the water at the large line. If this does not feed an icemaker or refrigerator water it may be for a humidifier. It is a saddle valve that self pierces the larger line.

 

[njdeerhunter54]

If it is leaking at the saddle be careful. This type of valve punctures the large line and the rubber gasket is the seal. You can very carefully try to tighten the saddle nuts but this could make the leak worse. If the gasket has rotted or cracked you will have to shut off the water to the large line and I would recommend replacing the whole vale at that time. Good Luck.

 

[Zone9DeerSlayer]

That is called a piercing saddle valve. It's 1/4" compression, they usually feed ice makers or humidifiers on forced air furnaces. They are against NJ plumbing code and illegal. I would cut it out sweat in a tee and install a proper stop valve in its place. That valve actually punctures a hole in the pipe. under that valve you will find the hole, normally what happens is the hole gets attacked by the low pH in the water making it bigger and bigger each year until the little rubber gasket isn't big enough to cover the hole anymore. I can tell by looking at the rest of the pipes that your problem is not just the leaking illegal valve but hard water as well, your house needs treatment system also. What else do you want to know?

 

[mikejd]

If its at your water heater that's probably feeding a humidifier on your furnace. Thats if you have forced air. If you do not have forced air it could be an ice maker like others have suggested. All in all I am not a fan of those thwy are called saddle valves. I aleays try to do away with them.if possible.since this is a DIY normally if you open them all the way they stop leaking. Can you identify exactly where the leak is coming from. Sometimes all you have to do is tighten the two screws that fasten it to the pipe itself.

 

[Zone9DeerSlayer]

Can I have all your copper tubing I'll exchange it with pcv

Maybe CPVC or Pex. PVC isn't approved for hot water or domestic after the well tank. You still need copper on the water heater near the flue anyway. Copper doesn't melt next to the stack plastic will.

 

[elkman]

Zone9deerslayer said it all. :bow:

 

[ICDeer]

Where you located ? If close enough I'll help you change it out

 

[TXinNJ]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

The copper pipe runs where i cant see it. I will have to research the type of furnace i have. But for now I'm guessing if it was forced air the humidifier would be somewhere in the same closet ant not back behind a wall somewhere else in the house.

I'll look into changing this out for a proper valve setup and if I'm prepared to do the work myself. If I can find a compression valve I can install by just cutting the main pipe then I might try it. Anything more complicated or where i have to mess around with a torch I'll leave to a professional.

Thanks again.

 

[ducati]

You should move.

 

[MilesAway]

My opinion only...those humidifiers aren't worth crap. Turn it off and forget about it.

 

[Zone9DeerSlayer]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

The copper pipe runs where i cant see it. I will have to research the type of furnace i have. But for now I'm guessing if it was forced air the humidifier would be somewhere in the same closet ant not back behind a wall somewhere else in the house.

I'll look into changing this out for a proper valve setup and if I'm prepared to do the work myself. If I can find a compression valve I can install by just cutting the main pipe then I might try it. Anything more complicated or where i have to mess around with a torch I'll leave to a professional.

Thanks again.

You will need a compression tee and a valve and some pipe along with a compression stop valve 1/2"x1/4" compression. Want to make life really easy go buy a shark bite tee.

 

[mikejd]

I will second the shark bite tee. You will be done in a half hour.

 

[Zone9DeerSlayer]

Or you could use one of these already made up for you. Homeowner approved lol. It's all compression. You don't have to use the polly 1/4" tubing either, just throw that crap in the garbage and keep the existing 1/4" copper line..
http://www.siouxchief.com/products/supply/specialized-supply/sweat/add-a-line-kits

 

[thevinstigator]

I replaced mine with a sharkbite T with a sharkbite valve after, no solder and forever leak free but can be removed if needed.