Ball valve drip drip drip

JustinR1979

The ball valve in my hot water tank often drips when shut. This is a new one because the old one dripped!
I've got it bent as much as I can to keep level far below overflow, and even a 0.5 litre plastic bottle strapped to it to increase closing pressure....
Is this crap getting into it? I don't know what to do about it.
Isn't often a problem as a shower a day takes it down low enough so the drips don't make it overflow before the next one, but would like to get to the bottom of it

ohreally

Remove the valve and clean all the surfaces and fit a new washer.

Bollotom

Or drape a short piece of gauze so the drip runs down it rather than dripping into the water. Mine used to drive me scatty until my daughter told me what to do.

macman

Bollotom wrote: »

Or drape a short piece of gauze so the drip runs down it rather than dripping into the water. Mine used to drive me scatty until my daughter told me what to do.

That's not solved the leak, it's just masked the symptoms.

27col

Replace the valve with a Torbeck valve. They do not drip, they are either open or shut.

Biggles

JustinR1979 wrote: »

Isn't often a problem as a shower a day takes it down low enough so the drips don't make it overflow before the next one, but would like to get to the bottom of it

Y, but you aren't having a shower a day when you're away on holiday, so you need to get it fixed.

JustinR1979

ohreally wrote: »

Remove the valve and clean all the surfaces and fit a new washer.

I would, but new one started dripping pretty much straight away!

27col wrote: »

Replace the valve with a Torbeck valve. They do not drip, they are either open or shut.

Will look into this, thanks. Mine is just whatever b+q do, and as described has plenty of shutting force on it.

Biggles wrote: »

Y, but you aren't having a shower a day when you're away on holiday, so you need to get it fixed.

What's a holiday gotta do with it? Lol.
On holiday I'd turn the stopcock off - but yes does need sorting


It's a chalet bungalow, so I need commando training to tackle the loft, so try not to go up there more than I have to, is a right pain.