Repair anti siphon valve

[Rizingson]

Last winter an unexpected cold snap caught me off guard, before I shut down the water to a walkout level hose bib. I was able to thaw it out and then shut of an interior valve that's in a heated area that feeds it and drain the line, hoping for the best come spring. But I apparently got the valve too hot and damaged the anti siphon valve on it. This hose bib is behind newly finished drywall, and I'd hate to cut it out to replace the entire valve if just the anti siphon portion can be fixed. At this point it doesn't seem to have any damage to the valve barrel. The valve looks like this and is leaking around the plastic cap which just freely spins on the valve. Can it be removed and a new seat installed?

This happened to two of my outside bibs but I was able to get them flowing at if I heated them up every couple hours through that -17 degree night. (damn that was a long night last fall) Any thoughts or do I need to prepare for the worst

 

[Showkey]

The big box stores sell rebuild kits.

 

[sixty4]

Cap should pry off and part under should screw out. I would shoot woodford a quick email to see if they have replacement parts. If not you could buy the same ones and use for parts.

Here you are. http://www.buyeagle.biz/rk-17mh?utm...4b2d31374d48&gclid=COSl5OrxhcUCFfRr7Aod6RYAaQ

 

[Rizingson]

Thanks guys! I'll look for a repair kits at Home Depot tomorrow.

 

[rallenc]

Try this ebay item; I believe this will work without buying the whole repair kit.

eBay item number:

351295482790

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Are your supply lines copper or galvanized?
If theyre galvanized Id just unscrew it and install a new valve,if your water lines are copper it could either be threaded into a female adaptor or sweated on.

 

[Showkey]

Are your supply lines copper or galvanized?
If theyre galvanized Id just unscrew it and install a new valve,if your water lines are copper it could either be threaded into a female adaptor or sweated on.

The new valve maybe $20-30 depending on size and location.

Rebuild kit is $4.00 and it's all done on the outside. 10 minute job tops

Depending on the location, basement ceiling or crawl space getting to the service part of the valve and pipe might be a trick. Also depends a lot on the OP skills and tools available.

 

[rlitman]

Cap should pry off and part under should screw out

Before you break the cap, I believe it screws off.

The anti-siphon is just a rubber flapper that is held in place by water pressure.
With the water off, gravity will let it fall and open. You turn the water on, and it pops back into place, forming the seal.

The heat you applied probably made it stick to the lower seat, and so it is stuck open. I would open it up, unstick the rubber, and put it back together WITHOUT replacing anything. Then try turning the water back on. If the flapper moves freely, it's probably still fine.

They also sometimes stick to the bottom if you leave the valve off for the season. Happens every so often when I first open the valves in the spring.

Next time you install one of these, they should screw into a female fitting inside the house, so they're easy to change out.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

The new valve maybe $20-30 depending on size and location.

Rebuild kit is $4.00 and it's all done on the outside. 10 minute job tops

Depending on the location, basement ceiling or crawl space getting to the service part of the valve and pipe might be a trick. Also depends a lot on the OP skills and tools available.

Until you install the rebuild kit then open the valve to find its split inside.
Ive done a valve or 2 over the years.

 

[rlitman]

Until you install the rebuild kit then open the valve to find its split inside.

The barrel splits when you leave something attached to the valve, and it sits full of water and freezes (or it isn't installed tilted down as it should be).

But leaking from the vacuum breaker cap is not a symptom of a split valve.

Like it said, it probably does not need a rebuild. The little rubber piece just needs to be unstuck.

 

[Showkey]

The barrel splits when you leave something attached to the valve, and it sits full of water and freezes (or it isn't installed tilted down as it should be).

But leaking from the vacuum breaker cap is not a symptom of a split valve.

Like it said, it probably does not need a rebuild. The little rubber piece just needs to be unstuck.

+2 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[dfiler2]

I'm a little curious what and why you were heating anything on the outside. That is a frost proof valve and the actual valve is inside the heated area. I've never seen one freeze up unless there was a hose left attached to it that was full of water or it would have to tilt down quite a bit.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

The barrel splits when you leave something attached to the valve, and it sits full of water and freezes (or it isn't installed tilted down as it should be).

But leaking from the vacuum breaker cap is not a symptom of a split valve.

Like it said, it probably does not need a rebuild. The little rubber piece just needs to be unstuck.

So did you read his original post about the surprise freeze and having to thaw things out with a torch,and then shutting off the water to it on the inside?
Im just a poor old retired master plumber with 30 years in the trades.

 

[Showkey]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Don't you think the OP would have said the anti siphon leaks and there is a huge leak in the basement or it coming out the siding .........since it must have taken some time to frame and take that picture. Also he thawed the pipe so he would likely seen a water leak inside at that time. Just giving the OP some common sense credit.

 

[mygarageone]

Two things , good luck finding a repair kit and second . I quit trying to repair the things It's hit and miss most times .
I hate going to to fix something after I was just there .
Forget the repair and replace it.

 

[Showkey]

Menards has 100's hanging right above the frost free faucets.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Don't you think the OP would have said the anti siphon leaks and there is a huge leak in the basement or it coming out the siding .........since it must have taken some time to frame and take that picture. Also he thawed the pipe so he would likely seen a water leak inside at that time. Just giving the OP some common sense credit.

Water does tend to take the past of least resistance,once you fix the vacuam break in the faucet you may very well find the next path of least resistance is a split in the valve.
Just saying,anything is possible.

 

[rlitman]

Water does tend to take the past of least resistance,once you fix the vacuam break in the faucet you may very well find the next path of least resistance is a split in the valve.
Just saying,anything is possible.

Absolutely correct, but there's no way to be sure until you fix it.

Another possibility is that the ceramic valve seat (if this is a quarter turn valve) broke when frozen.

 

[mygarageone]

This reminds me of my dad , he was always into fixing before replacing , he lived threw the depression era.
But some times do your way ahead of the game to replace it. You could spend multiple trips trying to find the right parts.

 

[mygarageone]

Menards has 100's hanging right above the frost free faucets.

Yep and they are most likely not the one he needs , been there done that repeatedly .
But I 'm a plumber and time is important to me and the people I am charging for a hit or miss repair.

 

[Showkey]

Yup.........makes real sense to replace a $40 faucet for a $4 dollar repair kit.

Same thought process is used when the truck needs $200 alternator when it really needs a $12 brush kit. How strange guys in the garage would not be into repairing ????? I get it when the shop or plumber gets a $130 hour. And they just throw parts it until it fixed.......but I can afford to pay myself $130/ hour.

I was thinking guys in a real garage try avoid going to a dealer or worse having anyone make a house call.

Edit.......just back from Menards ( picking up other stuff) they are sold out of the $2.68 rebuild kit, guess there are a few others with the same problem.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Well just rebuild it then,if it works so be it If not then its time to replace it.
I rebuild lots of things when Im sitting around bored.

 

[Rizingson]

Yes the hose was left on as I had been watering trees (70 degrees then down to -17 in 10 hrs). When I went out to remove the hose, I couldn't even turn the valve and ice was hanging off it. Even after thawing the valve it required more heat to get water to flow so I could then drain the line. The heat from the torch melted the guide pin of the plastic check valve and it became cocked so it couldn't move up and seal under pressure. I was able to get a complete repair kit including a new seat. Valve barrel was not damaged luckily. Whoever said pipes won't freeze if I left the hose off is pure bs. Especially after you cover exterior wall water pipes with drywall. That's why I had put a separate valve further into the interior with a bleeder to remove all water from that exterior wall pipe before winter hit. The cold was so sudden it killed many junipers and spruces because they need time to adapt for winter.