Valves & Valve Repair

Shower Valves & Valve Repair

Valves for Any Plumbing Project

Valves are an essential part of your home's plumbing system, controlling the flow of water to and from your toilets, tubs, sinks, outdoor faucets and more. Find all the valves and tools you need for your job at Lowe's.

Valve Types

There are many different types of valves designed to direct and stop water flow to your appliances and fixtures. A check valve, which allows water to move in only one direction to prevent backflow, is necessary if you are installing a sump pump. A supply stop is needed for cutting off the flow of water to a fixture such as a toilet, dishwasher or faucet. Angle valves are a type of small stop valve that is placed where pipes change direction at a right angle.

The type of valve you need depends on the fixtures you're installing and the kind of plumbing you already have feeding water to those fixtures. If you're renovating or building a bathroom, you'll need the correct tub or shower valve for your hardware. Tub filler valves feed water to the large faucet that fills your bathtub with water. A wall mount faucet requires a rough-in valve that controls water temperature and volume. To control water temperature in your shower, you need a thermostatic mixing valve, which allows hot and cold water to mix to create your desired temperature.

Outdoor Faucet Valves

If you're looking to replace a faucet on the outside of your home, browse our selection of sillcocks and hose bibs. These are essentially the same thing, the difference being that a hose bib has its valve closer to the faucet opening while the sillcock has its valve further back at the end of a long rod. Outdoor faucets have compression-style valves and are designed to allow water to flow out of the spigot once the water flow is turned off so that there's nothing left inside to freeze when the temperature drops. 

Valve Materials & Repair

The material of your valves depends on the type of fluid that will run through them and what the pipes are made of. Pipes and valves can be made of plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC), brass, copper, iron and bronze. If you need to fix a valve that you already have, be sure to choose the right repair materials. You'll need a bronze valve repair kit for bronze valves, a brass valve repair kit for brass valves and so on. These types of repair kits typically include parts like gaskets, washers, bolts and springs, though it depends on the type of valve each kit is intended for.

If you're interested in a particular brand of valve, Lowe's carries a number of popular lines. Browse valves from well-known brands such as Cash Acme, Zurn, Moen and American Valve on Lowes.com. If you don't feel comfortable tackling your plumbing projects on your own, Lowe's can help with installation services in your area.