On Mon, 27 May 2019 22:08:42 -0400, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 22 May 2019 18:32:32 -0400, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 22 May 2019 11:15:34 -0400, micky
wrote:

I just got back from a trip. Had turned off the water and drained the
pipes so no chance of pipes freezing. I've done this at least twice
before, but this time, when I turned the main house valve on, water
dripped from the valve. Quite a bit.

Is there any way out of this other than having the city turn off the
water to the house so a plumber can replace the valve?

Like putting bread or cheerios in the water pipes, or leeches, or at
least maybe temporarily there's something I can wrap around the stem and
where it comes out of the valve. House built in 1979,

I just got back and other things have piled up. Not a good time to hire
a plumber.

Valve is in the basement, behind a warddrobe full of stuff with stuff
piled on top of it with a heavy box of medium length pieces of wood,
metal, etc. in front of that.

If it's just stem packing, can I replace it myself, with something that
will work better than this did? Will the city turn the water off for
me, or will they insist that a plumber call?
Did you try tightening the packing nut?

Not when I first posted.

Did you open the valve ALL THE WAY?

Yes.

On most dhutoff valves they don't
leak even with a bad packing if they are ALL THE WAY open - but will
leak like a sieve if 1/4 turn from fully open.

I've noticed that.

I'd try tightening the packing nut 1/4 turn or so if possible (with
the shutoff NOT fully open) and see what happens.

That worked. It turned quite easily!
Glad it worked for you It has worked for me many times on water
valves of all kinds over the years.