Replace a Saddle Valve in 5 Minutes to Fix, Repair Water Pipe Pin Valve
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- Shows replacing a saddle valve to repair a water pipe pin valve. They are also called self-piercing, pin and needle valves.
These saddle valves are for pipes carrying a low volume water flow, like humidifiers or ice makers, and are fast, cheap, easy.
You can replace a saddle valve in 5 minutes with practice, and fix the water pipe problem.
You install them by attaching a clamp onto a water pipe, then tightening down a pin valve until it pierces the copper pipe. There is no cutting, soldering, or special tools. Simple. The problem is they can leak. Most don’t, but once installed, touch them as little as possible.
If the valve has a slight leakage around the valve stem, simply tightening the packing nut may stop it. If it won't tighten, or the valve handle doesn't turn, or the valve has corrosion around the stem from past seepage, then just replace it.
First, turn off the water and disconnect any tubing. You can drain the pipe, but the hole is so small that leaking is minimal. Then place the needle point over the pin-hole hole made by the previous valve and tighten each clamp bolt a little at a time so the pin tightens evenly. Finally, test that the valve works, and there is no leakage.
Don't over tighten the bolts because copper pipe can be crushed.
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You remind me of many great craftsmen I learned from growing up. Work like a gentleman, always do the best work possible, take your time, think the job through start to finish before you touch anything. Appreciate you sharing your experience here, sir. Thank you.
I learned from older craftsmen as I grew up in the hardware. Being 3rd generation that was a very young age.
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I love how you explained the various options for replacement.
Plus mentioning the Pros and Cons of each option.
Thanks for sharing.
First 30 seconds solved the problem for me, thanks very much for mentioning tightening the O ring Nut! 👍
Thank you for keeping this as simple and to the "T" as possible. I just bought a needle valve to replace what I thought was a needle valve, and it ended up being a saddle valve. Up and running in 5 minutes after I got the right part. I had never dealt with these before. Thank you!
Thank you, this made understanding the process a lot easier for someone who has near zero experience. Fixed my flow-through humidifier in 5 minutes :D + a 30 minute hardware store run, lol.
Thank you for your video! It gave me confidence to get it done and it worked like a charm with no leaks. Also, you did a great job describing the process and keeping it short but with all the details needed. Bravo!
Great video. Had to replace my fridge which was conking out, and the water/ice had stopped working long ago. Replaced the saddle valve with your video, and new fridge has water and ice working like a charm! Will take your advice and call a plumber to have a real valve installed at some point, as the water pressure coming out of the fridge is not so good (Same as on the old fridge when I first bought this house, and now I know why.).
Thanks so much for your video! You obviously have tremendous experience, and I learned a great deal from you which made the job go flawlessly. You actually remind me of many of the skilled trades people in my family who insisted on high-quality workmanship at every step of the job. Thanks again!
You just saved me a call to the plumber. I’m replacing the saddle valve. I’m not the handyman but with RUclips it ain’t too bad.
Sprung a leak and saw your vid. Explained so many things. This is an easy fix!
Man I gotta tell ya , I was hesitant about those ‘cheese ball push on fittings’ until I was basically forced to use a couple of them one evening.... they are more expensive BUT, they are extremely fast, easy and have Never leaked a drop !
I’ve used quite a bit since then on small jobs and repairs.... they’re worth the $ when they save you so much time.... and they fit to Copper, PVC And Pex lines.
I’m still impressed how well they work !
We’ve been without a humidifier for 2 months, even after having someone check it. Your first tip, tightening the nut on the saddle valve, did the trick. Thank you, Mr. Hardware!
Mr Hardware, Great video brother! I fixed my saddle valve in five minutes using this video. Thank You!
The Shark Bites have worked great for me - much safer than soldering in tight spots. Thanks for laying out the options,
Thank you, I lost sleep about replacing this! However after watching your video and following your instructions = "duck soup!"
Thank you so much. I find the saddle valve under the sink leaks when I replace my drinking water filter today. After seeing your video, I won’t make the mistake again.
Great advice and tip to fix the old one saved me a lot of working changing it. Thanks !!
EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thank you for taking the time to make and post this video!
THANK YOU so much Blair! This really helped with my new refrigerator install... Saved me time and money... Bless you soooo much sir!
Thanks for this video! I have a leaky saddle valve and I'm going to try tightening the nut with the o-ring before replacing it.
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thanks for posting this. It was a HUGE help!
Very clear and instructive. Thank you Mr Handyman
Thanks so much. Perfect guidance and direction. I was intimidated to try and replace a leaking valve but with your help it turned out to be a super easy fix.
Thanks for the info. I learned exactly what I needed to know about that junk looking valve.
Just replaced the old saddle valve with the help of this video - thank you!
You saved me from a bad leak. I noticed that you put a little black rubber piece on the valve, and I forgot to use that. Once I reinstalled with the rubber piece, it stopped leaking. Thank you!
Thank you for this video! Aall of the important points and steps were demonstrated very clearly.
You rock brutha! My mom's saddle valve started leaking when I moved the fridge to change the fan motor. With your perfect guidance, she is back in action.
Thank you so much. I had a leaking humidifier valve and your video solved my problem Best regards from Edmonton, AB.
Thanks - this was really helpful and boosted my confidence to dink with my plumbing.
This video was so helpful. Thank you Mr. Hardware!
Excellent my friend! Answered the exact question I had! Best video on this subject on RUclips! A+
Plumbers generally don't use Sharkbite fittings unless they have to, but as long as the pipe is properly prepped Sharkbite fittings work. Great video, thank you!
can honestly say I was very skeptical about the shark bites but they've held up in every single situation possible under pressure under stress hard turns they are awesome
Yes!!! You totally came through for me! I was looking for the little piece of brass to prevent the tube from collapsing!! Just repaired my solonoid valve!! Thanks!!
Perfect. My job went as easily as you predicted.
Thank you! I purchased a replacement saddle valve to fix a leaking one. The metal piece with the hole for the needle that sits on the copper was not machined correctly. The brass "T" did not thread into the saddle very far. Just poor build quality in my opinion. However, the rubber made a good seal and there are no leaks. I will be addressing this in the future with a soldered valve. Thanks for the video!
get a good quality ball valve w/1/4" compression nut.
Thank you for this sir. Home ownership has had it's learning curves.🤦♀️
Excellent.. I was gonna change it today. Your video will help me a lot. 👍👍
Great video. The only issue now is that the plumbing code bans saddle valves. So if you are getting inspection for selling they will have to be replaced.
Thank you 😊.
Never thought about not installing it facing up, makes sense. 👍
Thank you! Not only great info, but a superb presentation. U R a fine man!
Thank you for a very helpful video, Mr. Hardware. Appreciate you.
You're videos are awesome, Blair. Thank you so much.
Great video!!!you literally saved my life...Thanks many times.you'll be blessed
Thanks Mr. Hardware! Awesome video. This is quality material. I appreciate the extra (brief) pointers. This was a direct answer to my question of, can I just change out the saddle valve (mine doesn't stop water flow anymore).
Thanks for the video mine would not turn off and was not sure if it was something I could replace myself
Thanks
what would allow this to fail to stop flow of water after several years ? There is no visible leakage around this valve.
It is a brass ground joint seal. Meaning it is metal on metal to stop water. A slight flaw from rust, bad brass or other issue and it will leak.
Nice work Blair .
Thanks helped my coworker 9 mile and harper
Hello sir, this video helped me resolve the leaking coming from the saddle valve. Thanks and much appreciated.
Had to laugh when I watched this... shows the best way to fix it and in the end just replaced the saddle valve in the same config... I laugh because my mother was messing with hers in the wee hours of the night and ended up with water every were... I came out in the morning intending on replacing it with a compression T... in the end I just put a new saddle valve in because it had worked fine for over 30 years and was way less messing around :)
I have one of these, unused, with a big (unused) hose sticking to it. Can I remove the compression fitter + hose, and leave the valve on there, or should I cap it?
I’d remove the unused line and cap only if it leaks. 1/4 compression caps are hard to find.
I have that kind of needle valve hooked up to my refrigerator for its water. It's plugged up so I'm wondering if taking it off and trying to unplug it would work. I don't have any tools to solder, or any experience doing it. Do you think that would work or should I just call in a pro?
If you remove the valve, clear the hole and get the needle from the valve into the hole and centered and tighten the clamps equally this can be done. However it does take very good hand /eye coordination and if it fails you’ll be out of water until a plumber can come and repair it.
If you had a hose clamp and a solid flat rubber washer that you could clamp the rubber over the hole and seal the hole. that would be your savior if you tried it and failed.
@@MrHardware1 thanks for the reply! I've decided to try a shark bite T valve, since I won't have to solder. I'm just going to put it where the needle valve is.
I must have a good one. Been in service for 43 years.
I have a highly corroded stuck saddle valve that has copper coming out of it and not the plastic tube. Same process or have to do something different due to the copper?
The same, I prefer copper tubing.
Blair this was really helpful and very clear. Excellent video
Thanks, I'm good at the easy ones.
Am I able to use one of these to recharge freon into a refrigerator?
Not at all. Too much pressure!
@@MrHardware1 thanks for the info. I went ahead and ordered a couple of days Bullet Piercing Valves to recharge the Freon.
That "last little tiny crank" has costs me more trips to the harware store!!!!
I know the feeling
Does this type of Saddle valve installation on a copper pipe also work for connecting to an Expansion Tank? (next to a water heater).
Assuming I can find the correct fittings\hose to make the connection on the Expansion Tank side.
I don’t think the saddle valve would pass enough air, and/or water, to correctly feed an expansion tank.
@@MrHardware1 how much volume of water do you need for an expansion tank? it's only the excess pressure that goes in to the tank. right?
@@agustinguzman6375 Expansion tanks on houses with wells in bumps actually store and deliver gallons of water at a time. Yours may only be a buffer tank to accept the expansion from the hot water tank as it heats cold water and it expands. Which would only be a trickle of water at a time. Saddle valves are not code so I still would not recommend it to use to attach an expansion tank.
@@MrHardware1 Expansion tank is for a Water heater (not a Well). I've read the code requirements for Expansion Tanks (for water heaters pressure build up), but nothing states what is required for the actual connection. Could you point me to where you are reading the Code section that calls out the plumbing connection for such Expansion Tank as it is connected near the Water Heater?
@@MrHardware1 installed on 23/March: Saddle valve with 3/8" Compression Fitting -> 20" Compression Line (braided steel) -> Expansion Tank (2gal, 45psi pre-charged). will keep you posted to see how this turns out long term.
Thank you for the info about replacing a saddle valve!!
Just what I needed! This was so helpful. Thank you so much!
I need to do this for my old humidifier. Like you said the valve has sediment built up. I have a new valve, just wasn't sure how to replace it because its on the incoming line from the water meter. Last year I had to have a plumber replace the incoming line valve because it was so corrodided that I could not turn the water off from the meter. I had him replace it with a handle type valve for quick shut off. Thank You for the video.
thanks, guys like you keep me doing them. Blair
5 years later Brother, how do you feel about push connects
They are still my second choice. They are good in a pinch but the seal is made with an O-ring that has a life, a compression ring if it doesn’t leak today it never will.
Thank you! Excellent presentation!
i am putting the compression fitting and tubing like your showing but it keeps popping off when i turn on the water.It also doesnt have a little plastic ring or is the little plastic ring in the nut? somtimes?
Some compression nuts have a built in ring, and some of them are unique in that once the nut or the built-in ring wears out you have to replace the valve also. (what a pain) You have to have a ring, built in or loose to make a seal. A brass ring will work on a plastic line but I greatly prefer a plastic ring with plastic line and a brass ring with copper tubing.
Amen Brother!! Compression fitting or solder! 👏🍻
Do I really have to shut the main off? I hear that could cause some problems. Now mine is attached to one of the pipes going in or out of the water heater and above where the saddle valve is, there is an Inline Valve (looks like a lever, not a tap). Not sure if this is something I can use to shut off the water instead of using the Main shut off valve... ? Could I also do it with the water not shut off? I mean when replacing the saddle valve, it might take a minute or two... the time to pull the old one out and press in the new one... How much water would it come out??? Thanks in advance.
theres nothing wrong with shutting your water. we all have to do it once and awhile for other reasons. if you are replacing the valve, and want to test out the theory of how much water comes out... well get yourself a large bucket and some towels. working while running water is all over your hands and body is no fun, especially hot water LoL
Thanks for the reply. I already did it. I was able to just shut off the valve on the cold water supply that’s going into the boiler. The saddle valve was OK. So I didn’t have to change that. Rather the solenoid was gone. Replaced it in a couple of minutes. I also opened a tap in the bathroom downstairs just to relieve any pressure one the tanks.
Great info Hope your still doing well 🧰
@@shannonzittlow8462 you bet, still running on all 8 at 70.
Do I need the stiffener in a copper line?
No, and some of the newer poly lines are thick enough wall that they don’t mandate it all the time.
@@MrHardware1 thank you very much for the reply and you're video. I just ended up replacing the whole section I added a 1/4" compression Tee and a few couplings I did use shark bite push fittings but I'm not skilled at soldiering. It's nice to have a real quarter turn valve and secure fittings but unfortunately my refrigerator itself is leaking not sure if it's the ice maker or filter.
You rock man ! Thank you !
Thank you brother
THIS GUY DID IT EASY
Because it should BE! Keep the questions coming to staff@mrhardware.com
Super helpful. Thank you!!!
Could you give links to the products that you recommended in the video instead of the saddle valve? I believe it was the Tee Compressions and ball valve.
The compression tee is a 5/8 x 5/8 x 1/2" npt compression tee. No numbers available, the valve is a 1/2" fip x 1/4 compression valve. Call Daniel at 586-776-9532 with those descriptions and he can price and ship to you if desired. Blair
i appreciated this video, thank you!
I use a similar 1/4" copper line for a swamp cooler that I have to disconnect and reconnect every season. Do I have to replace the compression collar every time?
Not usually. If an old one leaks i wrap the ring with teflon tape. Not the threads.
Those push on connectors have been in use for many years and their reliability is well known by everybody but the contractors that will lose business if they fess up to that fact. Water softeners come with them as standard equipment and they've been installed with them for more than 20 years. I've been using them for a lot of my plumbing projects for almost 10 years now and have never had one leak.
I just don’t feel an o-ring as a permanent seal. I’ve used then also, just never in a wall or an in-accessible area.
You ROCK! Thank you!!!
Just curious. If you didn't like that is was installed facing down, why did you install it facing down again?
I was using the existing hole in the pipe. If I was the first guy it would have been sideways. Blair
Thanks for your reply. I'm installing one today. Sideways it is.
I learned confisently
Thank you. Great video.
The taper is stuck and i cant get the connection off from the platic pipe from the shut off value in order to replace. any suggestion? Thanks!
I cut the line shorter and use a new nut and compression ring.
Can I just leave the old one on and put a different one on so I can install it on the side?
You can, not that I'm liking it. If you have copper or newer plumbing sediment is not that big of a concern. That is why I didn't change the one in the video. My opinion is because in the old days most plumbing was galvanized and encountered rust and other crud.
Thank you for this video! I just installed mine but getting a tiny drip once every couple of hours. Should I take it apart and add some Teflon tape around the compression nut connector?
2 to 3 nice neat wraps. Sometimes tiny leaks seal themselves.
Thank you so much!
2 questions did previous installer use stiffener with plastic water line . And what if the metal compression ring was used with stiffener wouldn't that help.
Lastly is that the correct terminology stiffener as you called it.
Thanks good job
Big help to me. Thanks.
Great video.
Well, I'll be darned. Mine leaked at the stem when I tried turning it off. I thought I was going to have to replace the saddle valve. I even bought a new one. Turns out, all I needed to do was tighten in a bit. Wish I had found this video sooner.
Interesting. I've read that saddle valves are not code in many places due to tendency to leak over time. Mine saddle valve doesn't shut off and so I oped for push-on T with a ball shut-off fix. Hope to install next week. Humidifiers waste a lot of water, and on a well system that is not a good.
My system is powered humidifier (big air-name company). They make drainless bypass humidifiers, but mine is powered and is attached right to the main return duct on the indoor air handler of a heat pump system. And I'm reluctant to buy a new humidifier and have someone do some re-duct work. Also, it's a little noisy when it runs, and I'm not sure that location is good installation practice. I saw a YT video using 2 5 gallon buckets and a flot system, and tablets to keep the water microbe free, not sure I trust that method.
Any solutions to go drainless humidifier?
You are correct, saddle valves are not code in most areas in new construction. My water usage from the humidifier is a small portion of my bill so I concentrate on other areas to efficient-tise my house. The drum style w/a bypass from the hot plenum (where the humidifier should be installed) to the cold, wastes little water and has a small reservoir to keep the water from getting 'stinkie'.
Thanks for sharing!
When removing a valve, first shut off the water main, then open the laundry tub to reduce water dripping out of the main pipe once the piercing valve is removed.
what size was that pipe u installed the valve on?
Yes amazing thank you so much
Thank you for this great video! Mine is under our sink for our refrigerator and the handles broke off from fatigue. It's been on there for 30 years and so once shut off didn't want to turn back on. How do I find out the size I need to replace it with? I'm going to run to Home Depot today!
They are usually a standard size. If he pipe is copper I bet it measures 5/8" outside and a standard valve will bolt on as easy as I did in the video.
How about on galvanized pipe
Usually it is the same valve, and galvanized pipe typically leaves enough rust sediment that gets the valves clogged, right where they penetrate into the pipe.
I would like to remove the saddle valve permanently. How do I repair the puncture? Can I use a new saddle valve with close end to close the puncture?
The best way is to cut the pipe and use a coupling to bridge the hole. There are pipe repair clamps with rubber that will close the hole.
Thank you so much for all the excellent advise!
I am replacing an old copper supply line to the fridge. It wasn't leaking before but now when I open the valve (pierce) water is leaking like crazy. The line is connected even and tight. What am I doing wrong?
It may need to be replaced. If you tried to tighten the 2 bolts on the saddle and it still leads the gasket may have gone bad. Get a new one, about $6. Blair