Why are Isolation valve so awful

[mpooley]

I believe this is the third time I have had one of the screw type isolation valve leak from the screw. I'm not a plumber so this seems very bad to me!

Are they just rubbish? can you buy really good ones?

This latest one is one of those flexible tap fittings with integral isolation valve.
I just had to shut the water off to the tap for a new washer and when i turned the valve back on I had a jet of water coming from around the screw! I have fiddled with it an now its just a slow drip but I have no idea what to do. The tap itself is in a nearly impossible place to get to.
Is there any trick that I am missing here?

this must happen an awful lot to plumbers unless they know where to get better quality stuff. Although this was installed by a plumber so maybe not.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yes, they are just shcit. We just accept that they will leak.

Anything "integrated" is going to be beyond schit.

Most of us use good quality lever valves.

 

[Hot&Cold]

Quality and cost of the fitting comes to mind.

10x15mm unbranded service valves £9.00

1x15mm pegler service valve £8.00

SF buyers love unbranded

 

[mpooley]

Yep I have 2 pegler valves in my Screwfix basket right now BUT it doesn't solve the problem of stopping the leak unfortunately

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Yep I have 2 pegler valves in my Screwfix basket right now BUT it doesn't solve the problem of stopping the leak unfortunately

Get them fitted then, and you have a chance of having dry floors again.

If people fit two for a £ Chinese made isolators, then they're getting what they pay for. But in the world of plumbing, lowest quotes usually win, so quality will suffer. Pegler every time for me.

 

[muggles]

Buy cheap, buy twice. Full bore valves tend to be better quality. Bought a bag of 10 Screwfix ballofix valves once, the first 3 out the bag all immediately leaked from the isolation head, so took them back and vowed never to buy them again