How to Unscrew & Replace Leaking Elbow in Water Pipe: Step-by-Step Guide & Precautions

Question

I have a problem because water is leaking from my elbow, and I do not know how / how to unscrew it to replace it and also not to spoil something more.

Rezystor240 · Accepted Answer

@ blackwolf7 Of course it can be unscrewed with an ordinary hydraulic wrench. First turn off the water in the apartment because you will have an unpleasant surprise. You know, unless we unscrew it to the left. (it's just a reminder) Added after 2 [minutes]: What?! After all, all that is sticking out of the wall is a valve. Don't tell stupid things.

korystor · Answer

the so-called Frog or adjustable wrench. It is not an elbow, it is a valve. Unless it's an elbow in the wall. You will need two wrenches in total, with one you should hold the stub sticking out of the wall.

ciuqu · Answer

I suggest using even two frogs and one to hold the pipe sticking out from the wall.

ciuqu · Answer

Yeah fact it would be worth scratching the grout around the valve a little.

Covul · Answer

Or even shoe up to the fitting into which the valve is screwed.

E8600 · Answer

Exactly. To do some work? The fitting is probably sitting in the wall and nothing should happen. Worse, I would have to worry that the valve would not break and the thread in the wall would not remain, because these types of valves only look nice and are quite delicate and the durability is tragic. Before playing, turn off the cold water on the main valve in the bathroom and turn on the cold tap in the bathtub and let the water run out of the pipes - there will be less wiping. Therefore, in the bathtub, because this tap is usually the lowest.

stanislaw1954 · Answer

And in my opinion, this valve is screwed into the extension, which in turn is screwed into the elbow or the tee in the wall. Therefore, you need to hold the extension with one key to unscrew only the valve itself.

blackwolf7 · Answer

Just to hammer the wall and tiles again to get to the extension: / I will take the risk and hope that if there is a tee in the wall and it will not unscrew.

Rezystor240 · Answer

Your opinion is wrong. Added after 37 : Nothing is allowed to move in the wall.

korystor · Answer

Nothing is allowed to move in the wall. Of course, the wall has the right to move or even break off, it does not have to be a tee and it does not have to be galvanized, it is not known who did it. Unscrew sensitively.

mczapski · Answer

A typical cast iron fitting would have a flange at the end. And here you can not see it, So that the valve will not be screwed into the elbow or the tee. There is an extension, reduction or a muff, which can be made of steel or brass. So, when unscrewing, I would try to grab the element protruding from the wall and there is not much of it to grasp. And there may be a plastic pipe in the wall.

Anonymous · Answer

Sometimes I wonder where you specialists come from. From Mars? On Mars, do you all have master valves in the bathrooms? And, without exception, do you have the valves above the bathtub at the lowest level? Because here on Earth, we can have the lowest valve, even in the basement! We don't even have to have a bathtub, if someone wants, he can even have a shower.

E8600 · Answer

Buddy corner of the bathtub is visible in the 1st photo. In apartments in blocks of flats there is always a valve in front of the meter.

Rezystor240 · Answer

It doesn't mean there can't be one behind the meter.

Anonymous · Answer

I still can't understand how, on the basis of this one photo, you came to the conclusion that col. Blackwolf7 lives in a block of flats. It's OT, of course, but it bothers me? Why does the visible corner of the bathtub determine this? That's amazing.

E8600 · Answer

But it is in the basement and it is not always easy to access in the block. I used a glass ball. The author has probably already solved the topic, so there is no point in further exploring. In order to prevent further unnecessary posts, the residents of single-family houses usually have some idea about installations and repairs, so they do not ask on the forum but take the key or the neighbor with the key and replace it (especially since the author's problem was quite simple / basic).

Rezystor240 · Answer

Once again it is confirmed that the point of view depends on the point of sitting. Behind the counter- at home. In front of the meter - also at home, but the rest of the pipe runs off vertically. So much for this topic.

blackwolf7 · Answer

I unscrewed this elbow without holding the extension because I would have to knock off the tiles and walls a bit and I think nothing moved because you can't see any leaks, so I think it works and thanks people for your help But I have one more question, taking advantage of the opportunity, because now I heard at night how the water was dripping inside the tank all the time, and the frog is not running water in the shell, so I don't know what's going on. Unless it leaks into the shell but so slowly that you can't see it? Anyone know what this might be about?

ta_tar · Answer

If you are dripping in the shell tank, check the fill valve. You may not see in the shell at first because you have a good gasket in the drain valve. But if the water level above the bell is measured, the leakage from the tank may only be visible. See if you can see that the water is dripping near the filling valve.

How to Unscrew & Replace Leaking Elbow in Water Pipe: Step-by-Step Guide & Precautions

Post #1

Post #2

Post #3

Post #4

Post #5

Post #6

Post #7

Post #8

Post #9

Post #10

Post #11

Post #12

Post #13

Post #14

Post #15

Post #16

Post #17

Post #18

Post #19

Post #20

Topic summary