How to Install a Bathroom Water Supply Shut Off Valve

This is a article which looks at how to install a water supply line shut off valve on a threaded galvanized pipe. It is a very good idea to have shut off valves on all of the water supply lines in your bathroom. In fact it is required by building code to have shut off valves installed on new construction or remodeling projects. You will want to make sure you have shut off valves on all your fixtures in your home. Now, lets take a quick look at how to install a water supply lines shut of valve.

You will want to make sure you know if have galvanized pipes or copper pipes. You will needed this information to know which kind of shut off valves you will need to buy. The old style or galvanized metal pipes normally have threads on them where they end or connect to next piece. You really don't need to many tools besides a pipe wrench and some pipe tape to create the seal on pipe and the new valve. You will also want to have protection for you eyes and hands with this projection. Do not forget to to shut the water off in the house before you start this project. Many times the older homes have the pipe and then the supply line connected right to the fixture with no shut off valves. You can remove the supply line that goes to the fixture and place the new shut off valve on the pipe that comes out of the wall.

This would also be a good time to replace old supply lines with new flexible supply lines to your fixtures. This will help to ensure you have no leaks when you put everything back together. Threaded pipes are normally a little hard to get apart. You can use a torch or a penetrating liquid to help get the pipe apart. Be careful if you have old pipes because you crack or break old rusted pipes off in the wall. You do not want a pipe to crack off in the wall as you will have to remove the drywall to fix this pipe then. You will want to clean the threads of the pipe off before you place the pipe tape on to the pipe. Apply the pipe tape in the opposite direction that the valve will be turned on to the pipe. You can tighten the valve down to the the pipe with the pipe wrench. Many flexible supply lines have rubber gaskets in them and seal to valves when they are screwed on.

The installation of shut off valves on galvanized threaded metal pipes can be done this quick and easy. You will want to turn the water back on and look to see if you have any leaks where you have made your new connections. Once you have ensured you have no leaks you have completed your shut off valve installation. As with any home project safety first.