Shut-off and sprinkler valves are small but critical parts of your plumbing and irrigation systems, and they often fail quietly before causing big problems. From leaky packing nuts to seized stems, ...

Tighten the packing nut on the toilet shutoff valve one-eighth turn clockwise to try to seal a leak around the nut. Pro tip: Wrap cloth or masking tape on the plier’s jaws to protect the nut’s finish.