Plumbers on the board or Recommendations near Brighton/N. Thornton?

The quarter turn ball valve (inside my house) that restricts water to the sprinkler system leaks increasingly badly now... that leak has forced me to keep a second quarter turn ball valve located at the bottom of the back flow preventer outside of my house, closed, or water will slowly fill the pipe inside my house and freeze at the second value outside during the winter. Ideally, i'd have both valves on the BFP sitting at 45 deg (half open/closed) all winter, but haven't been able to for a couple years.

As a result, I've now developed an external leak at that lower ball valve outside, likely due to freezing inside it while in the closed position... so I'm looking for a quick chat with a plumber to decide a few things, but likely to just hire him/her for a couple hours.

I don't have the time to do the work as quickly as I'd like to right now...

I figured I'd ask the folks here if there's any on the board or for local trusted recommendations, before calling randomly.

Will be watching this thread.
I have the same problem, except the valve inside that shuts off the line to the irrigation BFP has a drain plug after it. I put a funnel & bucket
Under the removed plug. Over the years, the leakage has increased to about a gallon every three days. The bucket I use holds about 2 gallons, and I have to remember to empty it every 3-4 days so it doesn’t slosh over while walking it to empty.

cool, maybe we can get a group discount if we find a local plumber willing to do more than one job for us ;)

And for me I had a heck of a time finding another drain plug after the first one failed somehow, new one was 50 cents but now im not sure if it had borked threads or my drain stem is fuckered, either way been watering with hose sprinklers for a bit now.

I've had pretty good luck with D&H Heating & Air in Commerce City. They've done a water heater for me, a sump pump and also added in a separate line for my sprinklers so I could isolate the system a little differently when I installed my water softener. Hans (owner) has always seemed pretty solid.

Thank you, Ramsker, for the recommendation. I will give D&H a call and mention Hans by name to try and work an angle ;)

If it’s leaking at the valve to pipe connection use rescue tape for now. If leaking at the ball or handle it needs replacing

I hate plumbing. That is all.

I have to dig out my back flow preventer as well. I'm dreading it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SharkBit...00LF/202270642

Attachment 85960

That valve might not be the exact one for your application, but it gives you the general idea.

Probably also need to pick up a short piece of either copper pipe or pex, and another sharkbite connector.

Basically, shut off water, cut out the old valve, push the sharkbite one on one end of the cut-off pipe (where you removed the old valve), and push the sharkbite connector on the other side of the cut pipe, and cut a short piece of copper or pex to go from the connnector to the valve.

actually, this one is probably better for sprinker line, since it includes the drain as well:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-B...lve/1000914746
https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-Brass-3-4-in-Push-to-Connect-x-3-4-in-Push-to-Connect-Multi-Turn-Stop-and-Waste-Valve/1000914752

Attachment 85961

Yep, I’m familiar with the solution, at least well enough to know I’d rather not do the “home owner repair method” with the shark bite. I just have 3 total copper cutting/valve replacements to do of varying complexity and importance, that cumulatively have me leaning toward just hiring a professional this time. That, and my week and next two weekends are booked.

Finding plumbers willing to show up and not charge outrageous money is what will eventually drive me to by a Milwaukee PEX expander and do it my self. PEX A really seems to be idiot proof, so it is perfect for me.

YouTube. Parts. Solder. Map Gas torch. Pipe scraper. Pipe cutter or saw and file. Piece of aluminum and drywall.
5 more trips to hardware store and done.

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Originally Posted by Erni

YouTube. Parts. Solder. Map Gas torch. Pipe scraper. Pipe cutter or saw and file. Piece of aluminum and drywall.
5 more trips to hardware store and done.

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When I decided to get a water softener, I determined that "I can do all the plumbing myself" and set forth to get parts and practice beforehand and map everything out. I thought I had it all down pat. The day came to get everything set up for real. I got it all installed and was pretty confident that my soldering was good. Turned on the water and had a few leaks. Turned off the water and tried to remedy. Rinse, repeat. Still had a couple leaks. This was on a weekend and I ended up calling a plumber to come out and try to square things away before admitting to the wife that I messed up and that we wouldn't have water for a day or so.

Really nice guy came out and helped fix everything. Cost me about $500 for a weekend, off-hours call. But . . . he took some pity on me and actually spent the time while he was here to teach me what I did wrong and how to fix it--and how to avoid the mistakes I made. That's been invaluable. Since that point, I have done a few more projects that all went great.

You don't learn until you try. But I sure ran head-first into Murphy and his Law while learning.

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Originally Posted by colorider

If it’s leaking at the valve to pipe connection use rescue tape for now. If leaking at the ball or handle it needs replacing

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You can sometimes take off the handle and tighten the packing nut and reinstall the handle

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DenverGP

actually, this one is probably better for sprinker line, since it includes the drain as well:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-B...lve/1000914746
https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-Brass-3-4-in-Push-to-Connect-x-3-4-in-Push-to-Connect-Multi-Turn-Stop-and-Waste-Valve/1000914752

Attachment 85961

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Gate valves fail faster than ball valves. The drain is called a waste. So ideally you want a "full port stop and waste ball valve" of the appropriate pipe diameter.

Shark bites fail at the connections more often than they should. Putting them on pex seems to be worse than copper

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Originally Posted by cstone

Finding plumbers willing to show up and not charge outrageous money is what will eventually drive me to by a Milwaukee PEX expander and do it my self. PEX A really seems to be idiot proof, so it is perfect for me.

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You dont need the Milwaukee expander. You can get a manual expander. Or the ring crimper. The one that crushes the sprinkler line like hose clamp things is a serious point of failure if done incorrectly.

However you still need some type of transition to pex, which will usually require soldering. So you might as well either do a full conversion or just stick with copper

The Milwaukee pro press series might be the solution for you though

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Erni

YouTube. Parts. Solder. Map Gas torch. Pipe scraper. Pipe cutter or saw and file. Piece of aluminum and drywall.
5 more trips to hardware store and done.

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A buddy who's not technically licensed as a plumber because union shops wont qualify his non union time as an apprentice to get a journeyman card could theoretically assist the home owner..... as long as the homeowner remains in control you wouldn't need insurance or a business license. Just saying

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Originally Posted by Wulf202

You dont need the Milwaukee expander. You can get a manual expander. Or the ring crimper. The one that crushes the sprinkler line like hose clamp things is a serious point of failure if done incorrectly.

However you still need some type of transition to pex, which will usually require soldering. So you might as well either do a full conversion or just stick with copper

The Milwaukee pro press series might be the solution for you though

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I know the M12 expander is expensive, but it would be totally worth it if I never had to pay a plumber again. I keep checking pawn shops for one, but so far no luck. PEX A seems like it can't be installed incorrectly. Nothing will fit together unless you expand the tube properly, and then it spends the rest of it's life trying to get back to its original size. I'm thinking that I will initially put push to fit connections on my transitions as those will be in visible and easily accessible locations. As I have time, I can sweat fit transitions to PEX fittings or just run PEX all the way. I will be replacing 70 year old 1/2" copper, so setting up hot and cold manifolds in the basement with one hot and cold line run to each bathroom, the kitchen, and laundry. T's or three ways in those rooms to the final cut off valve at each fixture.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cstone

I know the M12 expander is expensive, but it would be totally worth it if I never had to pay a plumber again. I keep checking pawn shops for one, but so far no luck. PEX A seems like it can't be installed incorrectly. Nothing will fit together unless you expand the tube properly, and then it spends the rest of it's life trying to get back to its original size. I'm thinking that I will initially put push to fit connections on my transitions as those will be in visible and easily accessible locations. As I have time, I can sweat fit transitions to PEX fittings or just run PEX all the way. I will be replacing 70 year old 1/2" copper, so setting up hot and cold manifolds in the basement with one hot and cold line run to each bathroom, the kitchen, and laundry. T's or three ways in those rooms to the final cut off valve at each fixture.

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Also watch ebay. Some reputable sellers deal in returns from home depot.

One thing about retrofitting is that it's hard to tag the pex down. Water hammering becomes a leak threat if the pex is pulled thru a wall.