Is there a trick to keeping those from seizing up? Or is it just one of those things you have to check every year or so?
Honestly, I think it’s just one of those things. I try to turn my shutoff valves a little every few months—just enough to make sure they’re not getting stuck. Sometimes I’ll even put a dab of plumber’s grease on the stem, but that only helps so much. As for the push-to-connects, I’m with you: if someone’s rough, anything can break. Compression fittings can leak too if they get bumped or vibrate loose. It’s more about how careful people are, which isn’t always easy to control in rentals.
I get where you’re coming from about just having to check them every so often, but I actually had a plumber tell me once that if you’re turning those shutoff valves too often, it can actually wear out the washers inside faster. He said once or twice a year is plenty unless you’ve got a known issue. I guess it depends on the type of valve, too—mine are those old-school gate valves, and they seem to get cranky if I mess with them too much.
Funny thing, when we moved in last year, the fridge’s ice maker line was hooked up with one of those push-to-connect fittings. I was super paranoid about it leaking, but it’s been fine so far. The plumber who did our inspection actually preferred them over compression fittings for quick fixes, which surprised me. He said as long as you don’t yank on them or mess with them a lot, they’re less likely to leak than a poorly tightened compression nut. I guess there’s always a trade-off.
I do agree about rentals being a wild card, though. Our last apartment had a shutoff valve that was basically fused in place from years of not being touched. When the maintenance guy finally tried to turn it, the whole thing started leaking and we had to wait two days for a plumber. That was a mess.
Anyway, I think there’s no perfect answer—just gotta pick your battles and hope for the best. I’m still learning as I go, honestly.
You’re spot on—there’s really no one-size-fits-all answer with plumbing stuff, especially in rentals. Those old gate valves are notorious for getting stuck, and I’ve seen more than a few turn into fountains when someone finally tries to budge them. Push-to-connect fittings can be surprisingly reliable if you leave them alone, though I still get a little twitchy around them after seeing one pop off during a midnight emergency call. Honestly, you’re doing everything right by just keeping an eye on things and not overthinking it. Sometimes the best you can do is cross your fingers and hope the ice maker gods are feeling generous that week.
I hear you on those gate valves—mine looked ancient and I was terrified to touch it when the ice maker line started leaking. Ended up calling a plumber, which set me back about $180 just for a quick fix and a new shutoff. Felt like highway robbery, but I was too nervous to mess with it myself. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth having an ice maker at all...
$180 sounds about right for a plumber, but yeah, it stings for what feels like a 10-minute job. I’ve swapped out a few of those old gate valves myself over the years—honestly, they’re a pain, but not impossible if you’re comfortable shutting off the main. Ice makers are handy, but I swear, they cause more leaks than anything else in my rentals. Sometimes I just cap the line and call it a day... less hassle in the long run.