Go BottomAngle Shutoff Valve Failure in Closed Position
 | Wishfull
Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 13 Ohio 
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2020-11-06 199787
HI,
I have a whole house humidifier that gets fed from my hot water heater. Well last year the float on the Aprilaire humidifier broke and they no longer make parts for the Aprilaire 445.
Any overflow from the Humidifier goes to a drain pipe that dumps it to the gravel under the basement slab.
So I shut off the valve feeding hot water to it. Great !
So last week I noticed some moisture on the basement wall but the furnace was running.
So two days ago I was again investigating the moisture this time all quiet and I noticed that water was running into the broken Humidifier and that the the valve could not stop the flow..
The old valve was the type that allows for gradual closure of the valve. The type that is good under a sink where you want to regulate the flow to a faucet, not useful for a humidifier feed.
I replaced it with a ¼ turn valve which is supposed to be better for infrequently used valves.
Anyhow have never see a shutoff valve that is in the shutoff position suddenly fail and allow for a potential flood !
Does anyone have a similar experience ? Acidic water corrodes them ? Simply time 20 years on that valve?
Thanks for any comments.
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| joyce1
Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 43 Virgina
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2020-11-09 199790
It was probably degradation of the tip of the compression valve that failed. ....
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| chashm
Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 78 United States
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2020-11-09 199791
It's a bitch you can't get a replacement float valve.
Rubber faucet washers only last so long and they'll get hard and brittle. 20 years should do it.
Usually the symptom is you can't get the water to turn off completely, which is mainly just aggravating if it's a shutoff valve as you're fixing the faucet you use every day. If the stem has corroded so much the cup that the washer fits in has disintegrated, I suppose the washer could blow out if it's in pieces.
Worth opening up the old valve and looking especially if this valve is like the others in the house.
Any reason you feed the humidifier with hot water? Was it just a convenient place to hook up the humidifier when it was put in? ....
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| Wishfull
Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 13 Ohio
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2020-11-12 199794
Not much of anything left of a washer. ....
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| Wishfull
Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 13 Ohio
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2020-11-12 199795
The Aprilaire Instructions require connection to a hot water line.
Since it is a winter use heating application hot water seems to make sense. Also it may be possible that warm water may mix with the hot air better to raise humidity more efficiently ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
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2020-11-13 199796
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I find it hard to believe that a humidifier could possibly use enough water to keep the water coming to the humidifier running even warm, not to mention that the water already in the humidifier will be ambient temperature too.
Truth be known it's more likely a CYA thing. By specifying a hot water connection they know that it's water that's been through any water softener and or filtration system in the house. With cold water it could be from a bypassed line such as that heading for an outdoor spigot.
Best of luck. ....
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| Wishfull
Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 13 Ohio
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2020-11-13 199797
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Very interesting and good points.
On the Aprilaire 445 it has a tank, float and pump to send the water over the element. And when the furnace comes on and the blower started it was not long before I could feel the hot water running to the 445.
The pump was mounted in the reservoir so it would be sucking from the top and it was located directly in line with the hot water feed. I guess the size of the reservoir was to match up to the pump flow rate.
The value of the hot water on the 445 was probably next to zero in fall and spring, and only material in dead of winter on cold morning full on heat ups.
The new Aprilaire I installed is tankless so the warm water makes more sense. This system is much more delicate and makes me more nervous about possible flooding as it has a tiny electronic valve that controls the flow based on whether the fan motor is on and whether a small float indicates a low water level. So your point about Aprilaire Engineers preferring filtered water is apt.
Anyhow the new unit does very little for raising the humidity.....:-)
Also anyone considering buying and installing an Aprilaire like I did should know that they only warrant it if it is installed buy an Aprilaire HVAC company. I tried and could not even get a question answered by them on anything. ....
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| Handson
Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 28
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2022-07-27 201245
Has anybody had good luck with solderless Sharkbite connectors with copper pipe? ....
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| RiverB590
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 1
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2022-08-15 201266
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I have but I never use sharkbite or similar in a closed wall where damage could occur "quietly". Also, show respect for the O-rings by filing down any burrs on the pipe ends (even on PEX). Damage those rings and you have started down the road to a leak. .... ....
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