The UK Guild of Handymen

I’m sure I’m not the only person to find gate valves a source of misery.
Gate valves are often found in airing cupboards to shut off supply within non-mains pressure water pipes and are characterised by their shut-off hand-wheel which is often red.
Whether because they are rarely turned, cheaply manufactured or fundamentally a bad idea I can’t say, but I have had to replace a good many because they very often fail.
They are often very stiff but even if you CAN get them to close they will often dribble which leads you to have to turn the wheel a bit more. But if you turn them too much to fully shut off the flow (which is their job after all) then afterwards they can then fail to open because the gate jams in the shut position …or else the spindle can shear or the handwheel comes off.