so i replaced my sinks and toilets over the weekend, and the valve coming out of the concrete, i used to shut off my valve. I have hard water so the valve itself seemed pretty corroded. It looked like blue grit... similar to what i would drain out of my water heater.

when i went to go turn the water back on, i turned the knob and it started leaking just above where my finger is from the threads of the actual knob.

i tried to open the valve, and then tighten the nut my finger is pointing to. it helped, but not much at all to be honest. Do i need to replace this, or is there another means to repair?

 

In an ideal world you would replace that valve and some of the fittings with a ball type valve. That would, however, require turning off the water supply at the curb stop, something the water utility may prohibit.

You can wire brush the heck out of it, close the valve, remove the handle and then remove the packing nut. Do NOT remove the lower nut or the valve will come apart any you will flood your basement. Once the packing nut is off use whatever tools are necessary to dig out the hard packing and then replace it with graphited yarn packing which is available in most corner hardware stores or big box mega-mart homecenters in the plumbing department. follow the instructions on the package.

 

wouldnt removing the handle cause the valve to open? because once i start to open it after it is being closed, it starts to leak... so im afraid to remove the handle in fear it will flood basement.

also which nut should i not remove? the one im pointing too?

i was told to remove the threaded handle and then tefflon tape the hell out of it... then reinsert the threaded part into the valve.