Pro Handyman Blog

A leaking angle valve is a pretty common plumbing repair. These valves are located under a toilet or sink and rarely get touched, unless you need to service the fixture that they are supplying water to. When the time comes to turn them off, they tend to leak…and not stop.

In the event this happens to you, there are a couple of tricks you can try. First try to turn the packing nut slightly. This is a nut located right underneath the handle. Turn it clockwise and with any luck, the leak will stop. If it doesn’t, go to plan B.

Before you replace the valve, try turning off the water to the entire house. Remove the handle and packing nut and you will see the valve stem. Remove the valve stem and you will see the washers. Try to clean the stem and washers and get the washers pliable, as you might find some nasty deposits on them. Put everything back in place and turn the water back on. With any luck, you will have water flowing to the fixture and no water leaking from the angle valve.

If you still have a leak, you will need to replace the angle valve.