Been there myself... learned the hard way to always have a backup plan before touching old plumbing. My go-to now:
- WD-40 or penetrating oil first
- Gentle taps, no brute force
- If it's really stubborn, bite the bullet and replace the valve—cheaper than flooding the kitchen again.
Good call on the penetrating oil—I swear by that stuff myself. One thing I'd add from experience: always have a bucket and some towels handy. Even if you think you've shut off the water completely, older valves can leak or drip unexpectedly. Learned this after soaking my socks one too many times...
Also, don't underestimate the value of a good basin wrench if you're dealing with fixtures under tight spaces like sinks. Regular wrenches just won't cut it sometimes, and you'll save yourself a lot of frustration (and scraped knuckles).
If the valve really won't budge, replacing it is definitely smarter in the long run. But before you do, double-check your main shutoff valve—make sure it actually works properly. Had an old house once where the main shutoff was stuck half-open... let's just say that was an expensive lesson.
Good tips here. Couple more things I'd throw in from my own trial-and-error:
- Keep a small flashlight or headlamp handy. Crawling under sinks is dark, cramped, and miserable enough without fumbling around blind.
- If you're replacing valves anyway, consider quarter-turn ball valves. Way more reliable than old-school gate valves, IMO.
- And yeah, basin wrenches are lifesavers. Learned that the hard way after nearly losing my mind (and knuckles) trying to tighten fittings with regular tools...
"Keep a small flashlight or headlamp handy. Crawling under sinks is dark, cramped, and miserable enough without fumbling around blind."
Wish I'd read this before my last bathroom project. Ended up holding my phone in my mouth for light—didn't exactly go well. Also second the quarter-turn valves suggestion. Switched to those after an old gate valve leaked overnight... woke up to a mini indoor pond. Lesson learned the soggy way.
Good call on the quarter-turn valves, they're a lifesaver. Had a similar experience with an old gate valve that decided to give up mid-project... nothing like scrambling for buckets at midnight. Now I always recommend shutting off the main water supply before starting anything plumbing-related—it's one extra step but worth it in peace of mind alone. Also, another small tip: keep a couple extra towels handy nearby, because no matter how careful you are, something always drips or spills.
Speaking of valves, has anyone here tried those push-to-connect fittings (like SharkBite)? I've heard mixed opinions—some swear by them for convenience, others say they're not as reliable long-term compared to traditional soldered connections. Curious if anyone has firsthand experience with these over time.
