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I have a shutoff valve in my basement that leads to outside backyard. I closed that valve during winter and I just opened it to water my newly seeded lawn.

Upon opening the valve, I noticed that the shutoff valve continiously leaks water. There is a small nut that holds the knob. I tried tightening the nut while the valve is open but it still leaks water.

What is causing the leak? Do i need to take the knob off and perhaps put some sealant tape along the thread?

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    The small nut is just to keep the handle on. Try to tighten the big round nut above the handle and below the 1/2 mark, carefully. use a wrench on the top to prevent twisting. 1/4 to 1/2 turn at most.
    – crip659
    Commented Apr 22 at 21:44
  • @crip659 TY for your reply. I will try this method.
    – Charles
    Commented Apr 23 at 1:08
  • Did you drain the line past this valve for the winter, or just shut it off?
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Apr 23 at 12:29
  • @Ecnerwal - i just shut off the valve for the pipe leading to the backyard. I did not drain it out so there was water in the pipe / hose.
    – Charles
    Commented Apr 23 at 13:57
  • So, when that water freezes, it creates high pressure in the pipe. If it does not burst the pipe, it can still do things like damaging the valve packing, as seen here.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Apr 23 at 14:00

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In addition to what @crip659 mentioned in the comments, You might have to remove the valve stem from the base by turning the big nut counterclockwise and removing the valve stem. This is probably a gate valve. There should be some packing or washers around the shaft that turns with the handle. You might have to remove the handle to change the packing or washers. Sometimes the gate can be removed from the shaft and the packing/washers changed. Gate valves have a history of leaking after awhile and can't be closed completely so often the choice is just to change them out.

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  • +1 for the last sentence.. I came just to write "they're designed to do that; replace it with a new ball valve."
    – Greg Hill
    Commented Apr 22 at 22:34
  • This image help provide some visual context of what I may need to do. Obviously I will need to shut off water piped to this valve and bleed the water out before i replace any valve gate, packing, or washers?
    – Charles
    Commented Apr 23 at 1:19
  • @Charles Yes, water needs to be off until you complete the repairs so start early n the day.
    – JACK
    Commented Apr 23 at 11:50

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