Always deburr the pipe before installing a SharkBite fitting. Also, when dealing with copper pipe and non-conductive brass SharkBite fittings, it's a good idea to install grounding clamps connected by a copper wire on opposite sides of the new fitting to ensure good grounding, which prevents possible shock and preserves the integrity of the copper pipe.
10 years later I also noticed the grounding clamp and these Sharkbite connectors are breaking that ground so need to have a ground strap bridging them!!
This video was great and it helped me replace the 30 year old shutoff valves without having to call the $75 and hour plumber. No leaks...shark bite fittings rock! Thanks for the video and helping me build my plumbing confidence!
I installed one of these a couple of years ago so I could take off the outdoor faucet and put new siding on. I just now reinstated a new outdoor faucet. I was amazed how the shutoff never leaked in two years just hanging by itself. I slid the old pipe right in and heard a click. What a product. I'm impressed.
You do a great job of making a how-to video. No extraneous nonsense. Not to fast. Clear explanations. I didn't have any questions because you were thorough. Thank you. Subscribing.
I love shark bites. Last week I replaced all of the water piping in my house from galvanized steel to copper and used shark bites to connect everything behind my walls. Supposedly they are built to last decades so I should be good. I saved thousands of dollars by not hiring a greedy plumber by doing it on my own. I showed my wife who the handyman of the house is later that night ;)
Thank you very taking the time to post a video. If I may, copper should (must) always be cleaned with emery cloth and deburred prior to attaching this type (or soldering) a connector to ensure a tight seal. The way you showed may not leak, but why chance it for a few extra seconds of work? Again, thank you for this helpful video.
Thanks for making this video. There are so many instructions out there for how to do a new install with shark bite. Yours was the first I came across which shows how to replace a valve, which is exactly what I need to do!
Thank you so much for this video. Being a woman (and not being able to afford Mr. Darren below!) I can do this quick fix. I will follow all the advice below also. Plumbers are more expensive than financial planners with half the education. You should see the house my plumber lives in. We've been had. Thanks guys and I'm from Pittsburgh too.
well was a little skeptical because I always "sweated" my connections but after talking with some knowledgeable folks I bought a sharkbite shut off valve for a 1/2 in line. So being skeptical I had buckets at ready in case of a leak. I shut off the main water valve then went and turned on faucets to drain the lines as much as possible ( hint I left the lines open so gravity would drain them when I cut the line to install the valve) . I used a tubing cutter because having no burr on the end you are going to put the sharkbite on is vital to proper fitment and sealing - - I had a small splash of water come out but really it was next to nothing. One other step I should point out I used a fine emory cloth sandpaper and cleaned a good 2 inches of copper in the area I was going to cut because just like soldering a joint you want the area as clean as possible. I also used the emory after I made the cut specifically on the cut edge to make sure there were no burrs. I put a 1 inch mark on the line for a guide as to how deep the sharkbite fitting should go to seat properly and pushed it in place. Again being a skeptic I left a bucket there just in case and then went upstairs to shut all the faucets. I went back downstairs and turned the main valve on with eyes fixed on the new shut off valve and not one drop of water dripped. This line I'm installing the shut off on is for my water heater that died and the old valve on it didn't work so I couldn't drain it to remove it - - the heater had been in the house since at least the late 70s so I can't complain about it finally giving up the ghost in 2018 ( an old stone lined 80 gal tank). I mention that because today's water heaters have a fairly close standard for hook up lines but that old one had the cold in at the bottom of the tank so I have some line work to do. One other caution any time you shut off your main be sure to run all the faucets because when the pressure is forced through drained lines accumulated dirt/debris will be dislodged so run them to make sure you get a clean flow. Remember to pull your pants up when working on water lines and bending over - - "plumber's crack" needs to be eradicated - - good luck with your DIYs
2021 and I am doing the same thing as shown in the video and because the valve was installed in 1995. There is discolorations of the copper as well as a "label" that I would have to remove. I was going to use emery tape and sand the pipe. But was afraid of the scratches that would be left and would cause for a poor gasket or "O' ring seal. So I tried some very fine steel wool and it shined up the copper and removed the label and any glue. It also left the pipe smooth.
Thanks. I used your procedure almost to the button and used exactly same fittings. I'm amazed these types of fittings work so well without a single drop of leaks. They are pricey but worth it. I used mine for a replacement 3/4" water main valve. The ball type valves are so much more reliable. Plus I saved myself a good $250+ calling a plumber.
You should ALWAYS deburr both the inside and outside of the pipe end. Failure to do that may allow a burr to nick the sealing gasket. Also, DONT sandpaper the pipe end like you would for soldering. You want a smooth seating surface for the gasket.
Too bad I didn't see this video earlier! I just replace a valve and actually removed some clamps holding the main pipe to move the pipe so I could accommodate a compression valve. I know it's not good to add stress on the main line. Thanks for the video.
I live in an 1892 house,and have replaced about 95% of the plumbing in my home,with PVC drain and CPVC water lines.All CPVC lines are connected with SharkBite push fit connectors,and not one leak in 10 years. I am very happy with the SharkBite products. The Only thing i don't like is that there expensive.
bingobongo445 It is pricey but much less than plumbers and great for those of us who never learned soldering of copper pipe. My problem now is that my hands have arthritis and I don't have strength in them.
Thanks for this video. I had the same situation and your video helped me get through it in about 20 minutes of actual work (not counting trips to Home Depot...) :)
Just had a water heater go bad, thanks to your video I pit a shutoff on the tank feed, and I still have cold water until I repair it. And thanks to you I am confident to instal a new tank by myself.
Jeff, your style is so easy to watch and understand. Thank you so much!!! Wife and I Cant wait to get started on our home project. Us DIY'ers really appreciate the simple and clear delivery. Much appreciated. GO SharkBite!!!
I've been using SharkBites for several years and haven't had a leak yet. SharkBites are very dependable. Just make sure you push the fitting into the pipe by 1 inch and test for leaks. You'll be very pleased and if you need extra help just visit the SharkBite website
Great video. Had a frozen pipe burst this afternoon. Was able to use the slip end fitting to replace the cracked section of pipe. Will need to replace a bit of insulation and patch up the wall I had to cut, but thankfully I was able to access the pipe from the garage so that repair won't need to be as pretty as my new pipe section. (Got the fitting at Lowe's for a few bucks.Pro-Line brand.)
Sorry to hear about your frozen pipe Pierre Becquey - good job fixing it yourself. I think slip on fittings are good for pipes you can access. Especially if you're in a hurry and don't have soldering supplies on hand. Thanks for letting me know about your successful pipe repair :D
Hi, I have been using sharkbites for several years now, and they are great in a simple fix situation. I wouldn't use them for a main water shut off like some one else mentioned, but still fantastic for a homeowner who likes to tackle things them selves. My concern for Pierre Becquey, one day I couldn't get what I needed at Homedepot, where sharkbites are sold, and went to Lowes to buy their alternative product. I found the Lowes product did not work nearly as well as the Sharkbites. They are larger, harder to attach and did not make a good seal. I promptly returned the Lowes equivalent and bought a Sharkbite fitting. I don't know if anything has changed since that was a few years ago, but I would stick with Sharkbite. I terms of push fit fittings, they are the name brand and anything else you are taking a chance with.
Thanks Hillel Sims for sharing your experience, it's good to know that SharkBites are still working well for you, too. They're a great option for any DIYer :D
Thanks Brian, I've fiddled with this kind of setup before and had some issues. The slip fitting just makes is so much easier and faster to complete. Hope you had a great day.
In my experience, I believe it is impossible without the use of a slip coupler. I tried using Sharkbite straight couplers on each end of a replacement piece of PEX, thinking that PEX would be flexible enough that I could slide each end into a fitting. [And the "official" Sharkbite videos never address this issue.] But it has never cucceeded, so I had to use either CPVC or copper and a slip coupling on one end. Be sure to note --- and Sharkbite DOES mention this, but does not stress it --- the slip couplings are intended for use ONLY on copper or CPVC ... not on PEX or "regular" PVC. The straight couplings work on nearly anything, but the slip coupling REQUIRES copper or CPVC [or, one of each on each end, of course].
Great video but I have a question about your process as I am going to be doing the same thing in my basement. Why did you cut off such a large section of the copper. I was just planing on cutting as close to the ends of the ball valve so the sharkbite fitting would go in place and click in.
When replacing a "middle" section, whether with more pipe or with a valve, at least one connection requires the "slip coupling", so enough room is needed for it, as well as the one-inch insertion on each end of the slip coupling.
Son was remodeling the bathroom in his house..... on Christmas evening no less .... accidentally cracked the 1/2" copper pipe coming up from the floor to the toilet. water started spraying everywhere. Looked for the shut-off valve to the house. yeah, right., crawled under the house to look for a shut-off valve. none to be seen. called the emergency utility number. poor utility lady came out in the middle of her Christmas dinner to help locate the shut-off main at the street, of course buried under 5" of built-up sod - but eventually found it and turned it off. Bathroom floor area was soaking wet -- luckily it was being remodeled! Put some fans in to help circulate the air and dry off the subfloor. 1-1/2" of water in the crawlspace under the leaking area! Came out with soaking muddy pants and back to the house for our Christmas dinner. Water is shut off -- for now. Leak is stopped -- for now. And how was YOUR Christmas?? Long story short: Going to add a ball valve shut-off to the water main in the crawlspace!! Did not really want to do it "old school" and have to worry about draining the water pipes from the main and the copper pipes from the bathroom to solder the joint(s). I have used Sharkbite connectors in the past and was quite pleased with them. So I looked on RU-vid and found this video. Precise and to the point! Went to the hardware store today and got a 1/2" Sharkbite Max Push-to-Connect End Stop to plug the broken 1/2" copper pipe - after cutting a clean cut and deburring it, of course!! (not going to use that line anymore anyway. Will properly remove this line down the road. So for now, simply capped it). No need to worry about removing the insulation, draining the water out of the pipes, fluxing it, and blow-torching the floor beams by accident! Also got a 3/4" SharkBite Ball Valve and Slip Coupling to add a shut-off valve at the main line into the house - in similar fashion shown in this video. (While the water is still shut off). Great to have these options available. Lesson learned: NEVER attempt projects on a holiday!! P.S. I read about the possibility of "losing" a possible ground through the copper pipes if I add the ball valve and will probably add a copper wire bridge between the copper pipes.
super system, you can remove the sharkbite to add additional lines for laundry, baths, etc. The spinning everyone panics about is a plus not negative, it spins since it is easy to remove and connect other branch lines.
Thanks h voso - I agree with you. SharkBites are pretty cool. Of course there's nothing wrong with soldered joints but sometimes this is a bit simpler for open walls.
I've used SharkBites for the last few years and haven't had any issues with leaks. They're really reliable and it several rental homes we have here in Pittsburgh. Hope that answers you question ;)
HarryKnows i think his single unit would have been even better just cut much closer to the old shut off and replace with the 1 shark bite. now sure why he had to cut so far from the valve but maybe he will comment. Ive used them and they hold well even over time, what i didnt know is they now come with a valve. Thumbs Up!
I had main shutoff valve leak in crawl space. I bought ball shutoff sharkbyte valve to threaded end. Added a adapter brass to hose end . Used hose clamps once the hose was pressed into the brass barbed fitting and the fitting screwed into the other side on ball valve. Used plumpers thread tape. . The value is above ground flush with the water regulator. The sharkbyte valve does not touch the ground! . The old valve was 80 percent blocked because previous owner used copper and iron fitting. Always use brass on copper. Not metal on copper. 3 years later still holding. It's in dirt area under crawl space near foundation where it's not going to cause water damage if it leaks. I should get plumber to replace shutoff valve with a soldered one. I have to go under crawl space twice a year to shut off outside spout in winter to prevent freezing and turn it on in spring. I always check the ball valve for any leaks. To be safe I might install a small lcd camera pointing at it to check it randomly. I have to pay for water by usage so a slow leak can cost $$$. I even shut my water main off did the work and turned back on. When it was leaking it was scary as this valve was the last valve to town outside shutoff valve embedded in my lawn. I built a tool and made a video how to shutoff your water if you have those small blue ones with narrow access port on your lawn. I made tool so I dont have to wait for town to show up if this sharkbyte valve blows out. I can shut valve off right away. When they put in new hot water heater they use these fittings on the pipe at top water heater. I would not use these inside walls. Only where you can visually see them. If ball valve leaks it will leak into the ground. Not my floor boards, walls. So damage would be minimal.
you WILL have to use the splice like in this video if you are putting the shut off in existing system / retrofitting. the plumbing that is already existing is already cut and soldered in place and there is usually NO room to spread the pipes far enough apart to put the shut off in. therefore you will have to cut the pipe further up or down and put the splice in. only way to do it using the "sharkbite" (name brand) fittings. Homedepot and Lowes have these fittings. one carries "sharkbite" fittings and the other carries the fittings under a different "name brand" all the same FYI
Great video. One thing people should know is if you were to remove the shark bite fittings say a year from now, they are not to be reused. There is a rubber gasket inside that may get damaged from repeated removals. I also has to remove one shark bite fitting that was 4 years old and had a heck of a time removing it.
+Dennis M does the rubber wear out if you dont remove it? I want do this to some old round handled shut offs that are stripped but I do not want to have to replace every few years? Also i need to add a new shut off to my main and am wondering if these shar bites will hold up?
+Mike Carrington ........I am old school, I never had a sweated joint fail. My father re-pipped his entire house in 1972 and I sold it when he died in 2011 and never had any leak issues. I would only use a shark bite fitting if the pipe was easily accessible (not behind walls) and the cost of replacing it was not a concern.
+Mike Carrington The rubber does not wear out but it can dry out over time. As I said mine was only 4 years old and it was really hard for me to get off. I've worked on cars all my life and rubber fitting eventually dry out and that is a fact......if you don't believe me take few elastic bands and put them in a drawer for 3 years.....then see how brittle they are. Shark bite has been around for maybe 10 years and perhaps they will last but they are not infallible. I've never seen a sweat joint fail unless it froze or sustained a hard blow to it. I remember reading the fitting are not to be reused....
+Mike Carrington If you insist on using shark bites my only suggestion is use a fine emery cloth and sand the pipe. Like solder you need a clean joint....sand till its a nice smooth finish and remover any old solder that is on there if it exists.
I just used Sharkbite fittings for the first time today and it was super easy. Works like you would expect it too. The fittings, in my case an angled 1/2 x 3/8 shutoff valve, spin. Can be annoying but how often do you need to touch your fitting? 10/10 for me.
Thanks zedac0sta - the spinning is one aspect that is indeed annoying. But like you said, how often do we tough the fittings and it doesn't matter in most cases. Glad you found the video helpful.
These fitting types are revolutionizing the plumbing industry. Now, plumbers must stock various assortments of these SharkBite fittings in their trucks.
My old customers still prefer copper for exiting repairs or new construction . Pex is the way to go Shark is good for hard to reach places. I don't use shark unless a customer request them no guarantee either.
Great Video........ as you were using copper you are allowed to pull out the internal support inserts in the sharkbite fittings, as these are in there to support CPVC and Pex piping..doesn't really make a difference just a slightly reduced flow because of these sleeves
Thanks Jeff, I learned somthing today. I'm old school, torch and solder. This looks good , also I'm glad to see no leaking. I need to learn about Pecks piping. I want to run Pecks tube from my water meter (in the lawn) to my home, all under ground. Any videos on this type of work?
I have an idea for SharkBite, combine a slip joint connector with a shut off valve connector for when you don’t have the luxury of excessive pipe length to work with.
They make those, search for 24736LF..but I don't think this solves the problem. The parts would need to be long enough to replace the existing valve and I don't think they are. I'm currently in the same situation thinking it's ridiculous to need two parts to replace one
@@NevNiv I just installed two(2) Sharkbite slip joint ball valves for auxiliary shut offs to the clothes washer. You only need to remove 2" of pipe, then slip in one side and pull back to the other side.
Should have buffed that cut end with a green 3M pad, for a Sharkbite that end needs to be absolutely smooth so the o-ring in the Sharkbite doesn't get nicked at all. Otherwise the Sharkbite can fail. Sharkbite or solder, the pipe needs to be reamed and any possible burr sanded off.
I am no expert . But in addition , if the pipe is not properly debured , it will cause turbulence inside the pipe . Over time , it will create holes in the pipe and cause premature failure . A lot of shortcuts " work " - but they may fail . It only takes a moment to do a better job . It's worse to see a pro do it in a video . These are basics . They should know better . But do they care ?
OrbitGumdude, trust in modern technology. My son used some of these Sharkbite products and I was skeptical as you are. It has been working for several years now. Not to worry.
Just had a plumber from a popular national chain install one replacing my faulted main water shut off valve. Replaced it with a Shark Bite shut off lever. I sure hope this thing works. The guy says there great and has been doing plumbing for over 20 years. Sigh......
A skilled craftsman, Mark Knight, showed me how to solder. Not difficult to learn. I have soldered a few copper fittings since and never had a leak. Yes the "trades" and methods evolve, possibly too slowly, cost is a important factor. What was wrong with your valve that could not easily be fixed?
I don't know Jon Hobgood but I haven't had any issues with SharkBites and it's 4 years and counting. So time will tell. No doubt solder is great but I'm even rethinking the use of copper. PEX is what I'm currently using for small repair jobs.
Did you have to cut copper pipe off? Could you have just cut out other valve at the ends and placed sharkbite in between without adding new piece of coppet?
You could of just use a slip in shot of valve by itself with this much movement in the pipe. Normally a good idea is to clean and deburr the copper pipe ends before installing Sharkbite fittings. Its just a rubber o'ring seal that prevents the water from leaking. Great video though. Thanks
Not sure if anyone mentioned, or you addressed the grounding wire that’s on your water pipe. You won’t get a ground through the SB connectors that you’ve installed, so be sure to move the ground to the supply side.
for lines that just won't dry out, and the water keeps running, I use a flare tool. I use the flare tool at the 5/8" pipe setting and that works with 1/2" copper pipe. (I use a 'Rigid' brand flaring tool bought at Home Depot, it works better than the cheaper types sold elsewhere.) I first put a 5/8" flare nut onto the copper pipe, flare the end, then attach a 5/8" flare fitting that had a threaded end on the other side, and that is then connected to a threaded ball valve, or a threaded fitting that can be soldered to a copper pipe, or whatever else needs to be connected. I do these types of flare fittings on RIGID copper pipe, not the flexible types, and it works just fine. It costs a bit more money than SharkBite fittings but I don't trust SharkBites, not enough material there to hold in case the pipes freeze up.
Willilly Bab thanks for your great tips. I love ***** as well. One time my impact driver was acting up and I took it to get repaired. Turns out lithium battery died. Since the battery was under a Lifetime warranty I got one for free. Yep, that's why I love my Ridgid power tools :D
Pipes/fittings are never made to have water freeze in them. If they can freeze, the water should be drained. I don't care what you are using for plumbing--freezing pipes are a recipe for disaster.
BTW, I watched a few of these videos & it is suggested NOT to use shark-bites connectors inside walls. Since shark-bites are a relatively new product there are some concerns. There is a rubber O-ring inside these connectors that may dry out from chlorine (in some waters) causing leaks. I suggest buying some "Jack's" lubricant which is used for swimming pool O-rings. Do NOT use a petrol based lubricant (Vaseline, etc.) on rubber. "Vaseline or other petroleum products should never be used on rubber or neoprene objects. It can deteriorate the rubber or neoprene very rapidly. The correct lube to use is a silicone based lubricant, which comes with or without Teflon. This is available in spa or pool stores." "Jack's Formula 327 Multilube, SP0327 by Hayward. Pool & Spa lubricant for o-rings and threads on pool equipment." I would presume, if one's water contains chlorine one would use Jack's....if needed in these shark-bites. ????????????????????
Awesome John, that's a huge bummer about your hot water tank :( It's cool that you didn't lose all your house water and can flush toilets. Water is both a blessing and liability at times!!
This product does not work on existing pipes. After slipping one end on and the other half way on, it would not go the rest of the way on, and it would not come off. Yes, thankyou, I did use the little tool, in fact I tried one on each end. After several calls to Sharkbite customer service I was told that some of the older copper pipe 'might' not work with this. Thanks for telling me that up front. Since I was working on the main water line and the house was without water, I had to call someone to help. The part had to be cut out and pex line was put in. The best way to express my experience with this product is what he said on the way out... trying to use SharkBite on existing pipes is an absolute disaster!
Kay, I had the same issue while doing a pinhole leak repair with a SharkBite slip fitting on 3/4" copper pipe that was installed in 1961. I was working under the floor of the house and had to sand the area until the oxidized copper was shiny like a new pipe before the SharkBite would fully slip on and then slide backwards to fit properly. To get the fitting off when it got stuck the first time, I used Channellock pliers up against the release tool with a hammer to smack the fitting off the pipe.
Thanks Luca, I really appreciate your kind words. In case you need something in writing the link to the related blog post is up in the About section of this video. Always feel free to ask any question you'd like. I'm just like you in that my wife and I like to do DIY-primarily to save a bit of money for the kids' college fund!!
