Adding Sink Shutoff Valves

By: Merle Henkenius (Page 1 of 3)

Disconnect the water-supply tube from the old adapter that's attached to the pipe in the wall.

Use a basin wrench at the back of the sink to loosen the upper end of the water-supply tube from the faucet.

Use a wrench to loosen the water-supply tube from the adapter.

Pull up on the compresion nut and thread it onto the valve

Finish tightening the nut using two wrenches ; be careful not to overtighten the nut, or the fitting will leak.

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It shouldn't be necessary to turn off the water to the entire house just to fix a leaky faucet, but that's exactly what many homeowners must do. Why? Because they don't have individual shutoff valves installed under every sink.

If you're facing the same situation, consider putting a valve on every hot- and cold-water supply tube. The valves will not only allow you to shut off the water to one sink without disrupting the flow to others but they'll also provide a quick way to turn off the water in the event of a flood caused by, for instance, a cracked fitting or ruptured supply tube.

The good news is that adding compression shutoff valves to an existing sink is a simple, straightforward job that most homeowners can handle. In most cases you won't even need to replace the supply tubes that run from the valves to the faucet. However, if the tubes are corroded or kinked, replace them with braided stainless-steel supply lines (about $5 each). Standard compression valves cost about $7 each.