A leaking hot water valve should be replaced.
A hot water valve controls the supply of hot water to your home through the taps in your kitchen, bath and other places. It is usually located on the left hand side, while the cold tap is on the right. It is sometimes marked with red, while the cold is marked with blue. A hot water valve that is leaking or corroded should be replaced. Doing so is simple and requires minimal time and effort.
Instructions
1. Turn off the main water line to your home. Do this either at the water meter out on the street or at the point where the city water line enters your home, usually in the basement.
2. Drain water that's already in your taps by running the basement or ground floor taps until they're empty.
3. Open (turn on) the hot water valve that you want to replace.
4. Unscrew the supply line to the hot water valve, which is a flexible braided steel tube.
5. Unscrew the compression nut if your system has a compression fitting. If your system does not, ignore this step.
6. Put a flame-protective cloth around any flammable surfaces nearby.
7. Clamp locking pliers around the valve you want to remove.
8. Melt the soldering around the valve with the flame of a propane torch, then remove the valve.
9. Wear a protective glove and wipe the solder remains off the pipe with a cloth.
10. Slide the new valve on. Tighten it with a wrench until secure.
11. Reconnect the flexible braided tube that you disconnected in Step 4.
12. Turn the water to the house back on.
Tips Warnings
Wear protective safety gear such as gloves and glasses.
Use extreme caution when working with flame or fire.
Protect all flammable surfaces.
Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.
Have a fire escape plan.
Have working smoke alarms.
Tags: replace, water, taps, water valve, your home, around valve, flammable surfaces, flexible braided, marked with, should replaced, valve that, water line
