Main water valve help

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Huffy

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Hello everyone,

First time posting. I was wondering if you guys can help me with changing my main water valve into a ball valve.

I have posted some pictures to see if you guys can help. I've asked a plumber at the hospital I work at and he told me it's very easy. He told me to unscrew the nut closest to the meter (see picture with red circle) and then from there to unscrew the old valve and replace with the ball valve. I've asked this a couple weeks ago. But didn't have time till now as I have tomorrow off and won't be able to see him.

I don't have many tools. But from the videos I see online, it shows I have to cut and soldering things which are things I don't have.

Is it really that easy as per the plumber said?

Please see attached for pictures

Thanks
 

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If you are not experienced with plumbing, DO NOT mess with your main water shut off.

First of all, you will have to shut off the water on the other side of the meter.

There might be another old valve right there (which might not close all the way, or could even start leaking like crazy) or you might have to first turn off the water somewhere outside, in the yard or parkway, usually with help from the city.

However, if I had a gun to my head and had to do what you want, with your skills, I would install a lever handle ball valve with compression couplings at each end.

No soldering, no fire danger, less chance of leaks or flooding.

Make sure that grounding jumper wire stays attached at all times.

Now don’t ask me for any more help, you should hire this out.
 
i can't even tell iyf thats copper or galvi everything looks like it will crumble if you touch it leave it to a lic/ins plumber i have used the compression ball valves in a pinch they work well given the op experience and lack of tools and the condition of the piping call a proffesional....it will also give you piece of mind
 
All that looks threaded to me no soldering. You will need a couple wrenches and some teflon and pipe dope. Like Geofd said that stuff looks like it could fall apart in your hands. Why dont you buy the guy you work with a bottle of whatever and see if he will do it.
 
You are right guys, that all looks like rotting galvanized.

I wrote my last post in the wee hours, my dry eyes can’t see well late at night due to low thyroid problems.
 
That is some nasty pipe, and there's no reason to believe it's any better upstream on the other side of the meter. I'd find a real plumber with good insurance to back him up.
 
Many years ago, I was swapping out my first toilet ever, in an old apartment building.
There was no supply stop at the toilet, it was plumbed direct to a galvanized stub.

There was a plumber already working down in the basement, and he was shutting off the water for a different project, so I timed my work to match his.
Thanks God!

He turned off the old valve on the house side of the meter, and it blew off and began shooting full pressure water.
So he closed the valve on the street side, which also blew off, still shooting full pressure water.

The village came out to turn off the water at the Buffalo box in the parkway, but there was close to a foot of water by then.
No sump pump or floor drain.
The tenant had been evicted, so no important property got ruined down there.

Furnace got flooded, but taking the blower out and drying it brought it back to life.

I put in a shutoff at the toilet as a welcome add-on for my client.

So I am very leery now of old crusty valves!
 
You twist that pipe going out to the curb box and cause a leak, and then you will have a problem...
 
You can only hope that using 2 wrenches, close to the joint, will loosen it before breaking it.

EDIT: But you should definitely prepare for the worse.
 

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