I've got a slow leak on a sharkbite fitting that connects the water supply line to my water supply valve http://imgur.com/TMIPEyS
The leak is coming from the yellow lining. Unfortunately, because the sharkbite is before the shut off valve I can't just shut off my water, disconnect the sharkbite and replace. Instead of having the city shut the water off and replacing the sharkbite can I fix this? I was thinking of applying pipe compound or rubber sealant around the leainking yellow lining. Thoughts? Suggestions?
There's nothing you can do short of replacing the SharkBite, usually when they leak it's because the O-ring inside is damaged, you can apply all the various putties and goo you want but with pressurized water behind them they'll fail in short order.
So someone used a sharkbite BEFORE the water meter? This is very stupid. Sharkbites are great and I do occasionally use them for things but I would never use one before the meter.
The one thing I'm not getting though maybe you can provide a better pic. Is that clear/white pipe pex? You shouldn't even have pex before the meter (I've tried code doesn't allow) you should only be metal (copper or galvanized) coming from the street side. Then you change it to whatever you want after the meter. Please give me a couple wider angle shots so we can tell you what to do to properly fix it. Either way it will likely involve the city shutting off the water. This is not a real big deal, I've even managed to sweet talk the water guy into shutting it off and waiting 5 min for me to do my repair and then turning it back on before he leaves.
Here's a wider angle and more clear close up shot. european hose clamps
I believe it is plastic/APEX before the shut off valve. I just had the city replace their copper waterline and they are aware it's plastic and even though they prefer homeowner's use copper, it's not against code in this area.
I don't have much plumbing experience so can you tell how I would fix this? I think I have to remove the current sharkbite using a gatorbite removal tool then install a new sharkbite. As far as I can tell I don't need any tools or pipe sealant thread to install a new sharkbite. Is this all correct? Anything you would do differently?
You need to shut the water off outside the house. See if you can do it yourself. If not the city will have to do it. Look out by the road for a grate.
Seem you don't want to call a plumber and are thinking of using various goops/sealers, so I'll suggest this:
I've put a sharkbite on to a flowing pipe before... it will suck, it will be wet and generally horrible if it doesn't work... but you could potentially cut that line and stuff a new shark bite valve on it while running.
I'd do it like this:
Have the new valve ready to go, and open, then--
Open a sink valve in the house to help relieve some pressure
Cut the PEX (Rigid makes a cutter for about $5-10 that makes a perfect 90* cut in as little time as it takes to close the cutter)
Shove the open valve on there
Close the valve
Take your time now to get to the point where you can connect the other side the valve back to your plumbing
Step #2 and #3 should honestly be about 5-10 seconds.
Now, when I did this (replacing a washer valve) I did it because I'm lazy and stupid... if something had gone wrong I did have a main that I could have shut off quickly (30 seconds)--in your case if something goes wrong you'd be effed with water flowing, so I might have a back up plan of a pair of vise grips to clamp down on the PEX and slow the water until you could get the outside valve turned.
I don't think there are any long term solutions to your problem other then replacing the sharkbite.
That's 1/2" pipe isn't it? This is not on the city side of the meter. Where in the house is this, you should be able to shut the water off yourself at the street with a wrench.
No, this is on my side of the property in my basement. The city's valve is outside my house on the curb but I need a special tool to shut it off, it's not as easy as using a wrench. Also, I'm pretty sure it's illegal to touch the city's valve without their permission.
There should also be a shutoff before the meter. A plumber would be able to turn the water off and install one, shouldn't cost too much.
The shutoff is at the meter, by the time a plumber showed up he could go to Home Depot buy a meter key, shut the water off and replace the fitting himself and save a couple hundred $'s.
Not knowing what you were referring to (I'm not too handy with plumbing) I imagined you had a houseboat and a shark had bit it and now it was leaking. I imagined I'd click and see you in scuba gear working on it
No, everything before the curb stop shut off valve (where my line meets the city's valve) is my responsibility.
The tool you need shut the water at the curb is called. Basin wrench. And you'll need a pipe wrench or 2 foot pipe for leverage on turning the basin wrench. OR OR if your water pressure is kinda low. You can cut the plastic pipe QUICKLY and QUICKLY shove a new sharkbite valve on (valve OPEN) then when new sharkbite valve is firmly and correctly on SHUT VALVE. And vwala
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