I'm having some plumbing work done on the main water line right before before it enters the house.

There are two valves in that area: one is the main valve shutoff for the house. The other is just downstream of that for a hose, it has some sort of check valve / backflow prevention device (permanently threaded on).

Both valves are the rotating type - you need to keep turning the valve 20 times to open/close. These valves seem susceptible to leaks - I've replaced gaskets on several.

What are my options? Want something reliable, trouble free, high quality.

1. Ball valve appropriate? Or not an advocated valve type for this usage? What would be a good valve type?

2. Brand? Was looking for an american brand / american made valve. Looked at Dramm and Zurn but couldn't find a suitable model. Suggestions?

3. Where do I get one of these back flow prevention check valves that is permanently threaded onto the hose valve. Can't seem to find one of these either. (maybe I don't really know what they are really called in trade).

Ball valves are far superior. Apollo makes good ones.

Full Port Ball Valve

Legend, Watts, Nibco...

Hose Bibb Vacuum Breaker
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ev...VACBFPZ4EB/205815672

My plumber uses Watts for everything it seems.

Ball valve, hands down!! Apollo and Watts are the go to's around here.

Don’t know where you live, but you may want to replace the faucet with a frost free design

https://www.wilmar.com/Sku/13-...5d11b6e&gclsrc=3p.ds

Backflow preventers are code in most places now . I have a quarter turn ball valve on my incoming supply . Make sure everybody in family knows where it is . ANYTHING happens , close that valve and call you .

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
I have a quarter turn ball valve on my incoming supply . Make sure everybody in family knows where it is . ANYTHING happens , close that valve and call you .

During Winter Storm Uri in Texas, the 1/4 turn ball valve on supply line failed on thousands of homes and so did 1/4 turn ball valve doing to sprinkler system, outdoor kitchens, etc.. Ball valves trap water inside the ball and if they freeze they crack out the valve body. Gate valves are a better choice if it's in an area that could freeze (e.g. above ground outdoors).

I had above ground 1/4 turn ball valves on both supply line and sprinkler take-off so I wrapped in towels and wrapped the towels in plastic. Both of mine not only survived but worked perfectly fine ever since. Water was always flowing through the water main (had faucets with pencil lead thickness flow), but the sprinkler system was not running. I did spend the time to drain the backflow preventer so no water was in it or trapped between ball valve and backflow preventer.

Hmmm, we do get ice / frost on the ground in the winter but generally no snow. It does get pretty cold but temp (w/o wind chill) is generally above freezing but can get down to the mid-low 30's...

So, ball valves are generally advocated except for where freezing may be possible. If I'm risk averse, then perhaps it's safer to stick w/ a gate valve (finally have a name for the type of valve in place already) even though I prefer the ball valve (simple, easier, generally more reliable)?

Re-reading: or ball valves as long as I keep some minimal flow during times when freezing is a risk.

WRT to frost protection on outside faucets...one little trick I've learned is to cut the bottom 2/3's off a milk jug or large soda bottle, fill it with insulating material (e.g. used packing peanuts), and cover the fixture with it. Cut/drill a hole in the bottom center and use a threaded hook to hold it in place. The waste heat from the house will keep the temp. above freezing even in pretty cold weather, and it is easy to remove when Spring finally comes.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
WRT to frost protection on outside faucets...one little trick I've learned is to cut the bottom 2/3's off a milk jug or large soda bottle, fill it with insulating material (e.g. used packing peanuts), and cover the fixture with it. Cut/drill a hole in the bottom center and use a threaded hook to hold it in place. The waste heat from the house will keep the temp. above freezing even in pretty cold weather, and it is easy to remove when Spring finally comes.

Or buy one of these for $3. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Compa...cet-Cover/1000651583

Any of these not suitable? Or one more recommended than the others? Or these are not the valves I should be looking at? (btw, not sure what full port is vs non-full port; need to look it up)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ap...4ALF10601A/305975197

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ap...-76F10627A/305930310

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Zu...-114-850XL/311798860

All three of those are ball valves and susceptible to freezing.

But if the valve is 12” underground and it doesn’t freeze for more than a day or two you will be OK.

For instance, last winter here in Texas it was under 20° for over a week. None of the valves underground froze, but pipes in the slab at the edges of the slab and exposed to the freezing air did freeze up and stop water flow in an exterior wall toilet in our MBR bathroom.

My exterior faucets that are not freeze proof froze, but there was no damage in the walls. I did replace them with frost proof after everything thawed out.

The lines to my house are 1” pvc from the meter into the house where it turns to PEX throughout.

If freezing is not a big concern, are the valves okay?

My area: it'll get down to mid to low 30's at night but will generally be higher than 50 during the day during the coldest part of the year. But, there are days when frost/ice will form on the ground and temps may dip briefly overnight below 32. But temps are generally above 32 here.

So, I'm thinking if the concern is below 32 for a few days plus in a row, including day time, then perhaps freezing is not as big a risk as I thought it might be. I do wrap some insulation around the valves and pipes outside. And can trickle the water through the hose faucet or inside the garage sink if necessary.

You can bury the water lines 2' deep, and use a permanent extension to turn the ball valve. This works great.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Any of these not suitable? Or one more recommended than the others? Or these are not the valves I should be looking at? (btw, not sure what full port is vs non-full port; need to look it up)

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ap...4ALF10601A/305975197

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ap...-76F10627A/305930310

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Zu...-114-850XL/311798860

The first one would be fine, if the price was in line.
$$$ holy shit, 50+ bucks for a valve!!!

Full Port is the same size as the pipe for full flow.
Other valves can be restrictive, which lowers the flow rate.

Save yourself some money and buy a valve from these guys.
All three of these are full-port & lead-free for water systems.

If you want Apollo ($30.36):
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Ap...Ball-Valve-Lead-Free

If you want Watts ($27.56):
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Wa...Ball-Valve-Lead-Free

Or economy, Bluefin ($18.39):
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Bl...Ball-Valve-Lead-Free

During the Texas freeze I had a water line under my sink rupture and part of my home was flooded. I did not know where the shutoff was and I wouldn't have been able to work it even if I had known. My Handyman has reworked the house shutoff with a 1/4-turn valve that is easy to manipulate, and replaced a broken box that enclosed it. I will now know how to handle things if another rupture happens.

flashguy

excam: thanks much for the cheaper sources!

quote:

Originally posted by selogic:
Backflow preventers are code in most places now . I have a quarter turn ball valve on my incoming supply . Make sure everybody in family knows where it is . ANYTHING happens , close that valve and call you .

Got one of those on my house, turns off water to the house but not water to the drip irrigation system.

I turn off water to the house every time I leave for vacation.