How do you take apart push-to-connect plumbing fittings?
Unfamiliar push-to-connect or specialty fittings lack obvious wrench points, leaving people unable to tell how to release them without breaking the pipe or shut-off valve. Twisting firmly just wiggles the pipe, causing fear that using full strength will shatter the valve and force a complete replacement of the plumbing line.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 18.1× more often in r/Plumbing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Trying to force or twist the fitting open with a wrenchDid this help you?
- 2Looking up youtube tutorials and videos for alternative connector typesDid this help you?
- 3Considering replacing the entire shutoff valve or cutting the pipeDid this help you?
- 4Calling a professional plumber for assistanceDid this help you?
- 5Opening a faucet on the lowest level to drain the system and laying a towel underneathDid this help you?
- 6hiring a professionalDid this help you?
- 7Cutting back more of the spout for access, using a crescent wrench against the collar to release the fitting, or calling a plumber.Did this help you?
- 8Buy new unions instead of trying to find individual replacement gasketsDid this help you?
- 9Using a flat crescent wrench to push down on the release ringDid this help you?
- 10Wiggling the pipe while pushing the ring downDid this help you?
- 11Trying to apply friction to the shank with another hand or improvised toolsDid this help you?
- 12pulling the waterline out of the fitting forcefullyDid this help you?
- 13digging the line back to get better access or leverageDid this help you?
- 14Turning off the main water, draining the system, and pulling the valve while turning counter-clockwise.Did this help you?
- 15Cutting off the old fitting to leave a straight pipe and installing a new standard compression stop.Did this help you?
- 16Using a compression elbow adapter on the existing line instead of replacing the entire shutoff.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I’ve got this old corroded fitting inside of my tub spout. Trying to use some channel locks and pliers to take it off but not sure if that’s the right approach and I don’t want to damage the copper pipe.”source ↗
“It wasn’t moving at all. I’ll dig it back a bit and see if that works. Thanks”source ↗
“Changing the kitchen faucet and I’m not sure how to remove the plastic piece from the metal I looked up videos but they all show metal to metal not metal to plastic.”source ↗
“when I try to remove that one water still comes out and I’m sure I shut the water off”source ↗
“Very inexperienced plumber here. I’m trying to disconnect the supply lines to my bathroom faucet. I removed the nut on one of them, but the line won’t budge, so I assume there’s another nut to loosen. Is the second nut that I’ve circled part of the supply lines or the shutoff?”source ↗
“Oh boy. I’ll have to solder? I’ve got no knowledge of how to do that, and this is the one shower/tub in the house. Should I hold off and call a plumber this week?”source ↗
“I’m working on a hydronic boiler manifold that has leaks at both of the supply/return union connections, and I could use some help identifying a couple of parts and figuring out how to separate one stuck connection.”source ↗
“When I removed that union from the manifold, the threaded/knurled union tailpiece or manifold adapter came out of the manifold along with the union nut. The tailpiece is now basically captured inside the union nut, and I can’t get the two pieces separated.”source ↗
“If it's one of those push-to-release fittings, you just push the ring down while pulling the pipe at the same time. Some of them get stuck bad if there's debris in there though, might need to wiggle it a bit.”source ↗
“Breaking my wrists trying to get the tap connector nut loose from the shank. Its just rotating with it. If i had another hand id attempt to apply friction on the shank but that other hand is applying friction lower down to allow rotation on the connector nut.”source ↗
“Gotcha so I need to replace everything that was put on the water line coming out of the wall. Any tips on how to get the whole thing off the line?”source ↗
“How do I remove the vertical pipe at this joint? Is it lead holding the pipe in place? Can I heat it up safely and just pull the pipe out? I want to install a 3” PVC with clean out in its place.”source ↗
“I have a leak right where the waterline connects to the fitting. Even when it’s all the way tightened up. How do I remove the waterline and reinstall to see if that’s it? Or does the whole thing need to be replaced?”source ↗
“Leak developed at the connection point for the toilet. No amount of plumbers puddy or retightening the compression nut is improving anything.”source ↗
“I have no idea what spot I need to actually apply the wrench to to get this off.”source ↗
“Twisting firmly just has the pipe itself wiggling and I fear totally shattering the shut off valve if I used my full strength”source ↗
“Feel like this project got bigger snd and the entire shutoff valve needs to be replaced with something more normal.”source ↗
“Anyway, what is the point of a shut off valve if the whole valve has to be removed to try to replace a broken part?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9How to remove a stuck crimped fuel line fitting
- 3How to loosen bathroom water lines in extremely tight spaces
- 17How to fix a glued sink drain pipe
- 2How to remove stuck threaded pipes from an old boiler without breaking it
- 15How to remove a broken toilet flange yourself
- 7What to do with old water pipes after removing a fixture?