Advice from plumbers needed...

[Trock03]

So the previous owners had fun with spray foam for whatever reason. I'd really like to replace these gate valves with quarter turn valves and renew the plastic box.
For the life of me I can't figure out how to get these old valves off the copper lines. I'm assuming the bottom nut on the valve threads onto a compression fitting in the pipe. I've tried breaking the connection with a lot more force than I'm comfortable applying to the copper lines. The house is 25 years old so these are probably original.
Any old plumbers tricks on how to remove these valves?

Thanks,
TC

 

[PCustoms]

They're probably soldered to the pipe.

 

[The Cobbler]

they are probably soldered to copper , installed prior to drywall, then the trim ring installed after

 

[acmikee]

don't fix what aint broke
but if you must it's had to tell how those valves are installed it looks like they are attached to a female pipe adapter if so then put a big wrench on the FPA and one on the valve and turn. if its soldered in then you have to cut all of that plastic out and remove the foam and unsweet it

 

[engineer2]

First cut out all the foam and see how they are attached.

 

[Spook001]

It will be a job, you have to remove the trim piece, dig out that foam, and if it soldered on, heat it up to remove the valve, then cleaned up and the new valve soldered on. For as often as those valves are used, I’d let it be. I know I have lots of things that offer a better return on my time.

 

[yeldogt]

Rebuild the valves --- clean everything up. Remove the head of the valve -- clean .. replace the gasket. Put back together ... if you are concerned about flooding --make sure to purchase quality hoses and replace them occasionally ...

 

[spam4us]

IF the laundry room is over a basement/craw space do you have access to the pipes down there? If you do, cut the pipe there and cut the valve off. Pull pipe out. Put a new longer pipe in sticking above the hole in the plastic box and attach a new valve with a compression fitting. Solder the new pipe to the old in the basement/craw space.

You could also replace the box during this.

It's some work.

 

[Cougar67]

Amazon sells just the box trim ring if that would help. It always drove me nuts that the builder got paint on mine originally. This is only $11 but the cheaper option would be to stop doing laundry. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0069KEXM6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[gungatim]

just a side note, when I built my house the inspector made me fill every single penetration in ever wall studd floor, etc. with foam. this was after it was insulated and drywalled. it was fire code he said. I have pipes and wires that look similar to yours, most you can't see since I finished the basement but my washer hookup is similar. i'll bet under your kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity's all look similarly foamed up.

if you have access to the copper pipe under the floor/wall, it'd be easiest to shut off the water and use a pipe cutter and just cut off the pipes below the floor, then solder on new pipes with your ball valves in their place. you should be able to pull them out the top and slip new ones down if you are careful (foam will guide it in through the hole).

 

[DC73]

I'd really like to replace these gate valves with quarter turn valves and renew the plastic box.

I just did this project at my house last year. My valves were like yours, wouldn't close all the way, and were extremely hard to turn. I cut the drywall, unsoldered the old valves, soldered in new quarter turn valves, and put in a new plastic box. If you can solder, it's a fairly easy job. I cheated and didn't even patch the drywall. I just put in a plastic access panel I found at one of the box stores (buy the access panel 1st so you'll know what size opening to cut).

If you can't solder, you can use valves with compression fittings but I wouldn't close the fittings up inside the wall.

DC

 

[cdestuck]

Here is what I would do. Down below the valves I would cut an access panel to give you access to the copper pipes inside the wall. Cut them both off after shutting off the whole house water supply. Pull all that **** up out of the fixture box and replace with whatever you want as far as a quarter turn valve. Instead of resoldering the Copper pipes back together just use shark bites. Make some sort of removable panel so you always have access if something should happen behind the wall