Most good plumber near me will recommend replacing a gate valve regardless of its condition. The time to discover if it will work is not during a flood in your bathroom. If you have it replaced with a ball valve then check your water heater and laundry valves, too. Have them replaced at the same time with premium ball valves. Ball valve laundry bibbs make it easy to shut off the water to the washer after each use which may help to prevent floods in the future.
The repair of a ballcock tube is the simplest repair of all toilet leaks. There is a small black tube that is in the tank of the toilet that connects to the flush valve fill tube. If the tube slips from the little clasp that holds it in place, it can begin spraying water line repair in the tank and out from under the tank cover. To fix this toilet leak, simple re-attach the black tube to the clip. It really is that simple.
Another obvious indicator is if the water you get is close to cold as ice, then your water heating device has already reached its maximum level of service. If it can talk, it might have been shouting at the top of its voice telling you it needs replacement.
A plumber becomes a journeyman once they complete their apprenticeship program and they can apply to be licensed. Most of the plumbers today are in the field of journeyman. To get a license to be a journeyman, you need to pass an exam and pay a licensing fee.
Here are some general cautions. Do not begin jobs on holidays, weekends, or at times when plumbers raise their rates or are difficult to reach. Do start early leaving plenty of daylight to call a plumber if something goes wrong. Study the situation carefully. Think about what might happen if something suddenly broke and what the effects would be. Old corroded copper tubing might break in the wall when you are wrenching an angle stop that supplies the water line repair to your toilet. A flood in the wall could be costly. If the angle stop, on the other hand, is new and shuts off easily and you have another toilet in the house then it might make sense to repair the toilet yourself. Be honest, too. Are you handy with tools? Did you do well in shop classes in school?
If you plan to replace fixtures, you may be able to do this on your own. Buy the same style or functional fit and then turn off the water to make the switch. Follow the directions provided by the manufacturer to get the job done.
Sometimes there can be complications of broken toilet flanges, closet bolts or rotted sub-flooring. If you find any of that in your situation, it will need to be repaired before reinstalling the toilet.