ResidentialValves
Replacing Seized Shut-Off Valves
Shut-off valves sit untouched for years. Then the day you need one, it will not turn or it leaks when it does. Replacing them before an emergency is a small, smart job.
Spacious contemporary bathroom with dual sinks and a shower panel.
- Valve located, tested and replaced at the right spot
- Pressure measured before and after the work
- Isolation kept short so the household keeps water
- Old and new parts shown to you before we leave
- Licensing details confirmed when you call
- Residential
- Commercial
- Markham & York Region
How the job runs
- The main shut-off where water enters the house.
- Fixture stops under sinks and behind toilets.
- Supply valves for the water heater, washer and fridge line.
- Inside valves for outdoor hose bibs.
What's included on this job
What we open
The valve under the sink or toilet, and the main valve where water enters the house.
What we bring
Tube cutters, compression or push-fit valves, and a torch for soldered stops.
What we replace
Old multi-turn stops replaced with quarter-turn valves, and seized mains replaced.
How we prove it
Each valve closed and opened with the downstream tap checked for a full stop.
Signs you need this
- Valve will not turn
- Water still drips with the valve closed
- Valve weeps at the stem
- Planning work on a fixture
Why they seize
Older multi-turn gate and globe valves have rubber washers and threaded stems that stiffen with minerals. Gate valves in particular can break inside when forced, leaving the water on even when the handle turns. In many Markham houses from the 1970s through the 1990s, the main shut-off is still an original gate valve.
How we replace them
- We shut water at the next valve upstream, or at the curb stop for the main.
- We drain the line and remove the old valve.
- We install a quarter-turn ball valve, which is reliable and easy to operate.
- We test it open and closed under pressure.
- A red tag goes on the main valve handle before we pack up.
Valve types
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Gate valve | Multi-turn, prone to seizing and breaking |
| Globe valve | Multi-turn, restricts flow a little |
| Ball valve | Quarter-turn, durable, full flow |
From the van: Exercise every shut-off, off then on, each spring and fall so it never freezes in place.
The curb stop
The curb stop is the city's valve near the property line. If the main valve in your house must be replaced, the city may have to close the curb stop for us. We coordinate that with them when necessary.
A shut-off that has not moved in twenty years is likely to leak the day you turn it.
What changes the cost
Number of valves, pipe type, access behind finished walls and whether the city needs to close the curb stop all affect price.
Call before it gets worse
The time to find out a valve does not work is not during a burst pipe.