this is very common, the slow leak can be from the packing gland (Nut under the handle attached to the valve stem)

You can

1- gently tighten the nut

2- Remove and re pack

3- Turn the valve 1/4 turn to the right and this may stop the leak as many people make the mistake of opening a valve fully and not turning the handle back 1/4 turn

It is far better to have a gun and never need it THEN need a gun and not have one

I just turned it as you suggested and the dripping has stopped. Thank you so much for the helpful information! Have a great day! Greg

Your very welcome

It is far better to have a gun and never need it THEN need a gun and not have one

Sylvan, That was a great tip about turning the valve 1/4 turn. However, The one I am trying to fix is the main water valve coming into the house. There isn't a shut off valve before it.
Any suggestions? Thx. Jim R.

If your concern is the big valve in your home that shuts off water to your home, then the next shutoff valve is located in your front yard where your water meter is. You can shut off the water there. Look for what looks like a small manhole cover with a nut on it. Open it up, find the valve and turn it off.

If it is the valve in your yard then that is the water company's problem. Only they can shut off valves further up the line to repair that one, and besides it's their equipment.

Just curious; how does turning the knob 1/4 of the way stop the drip, and why should we normally do that (even if the knob isn't dripping)?

Thanks!

It keeps the valve from " locking up". As far as the drip goes I don't understand that part but I know it doesn't always work. Also in his gun quote the THEN should be Than. LOL

The 1/4 turn stops the valve from freezing in the open position and sometimes having the valve stem fully open causes a slight drip

How can someone say your meter is in the front yard not knowing where you live as some of us have to be concerned about a frost zone and not all water mains have water meters (private well for example)

"If it is the valve in your yard then that is the water company's problem. Only they can shut off valves further up the line to repair that one, and besides it's their equipment"

Not true as many locations the building owner is responsible for the tap connection to the city water supply and the sewer connection to the city sewer

When working on a packing gland leak (nut) I found by closing the valve and loosening the packing nut removing the stuff (packing) from inside the nut and replacing it with graphite or Teflon packing (not tape or paste) and slowly lowering the nut to compress the packing material and then losing the nut and using another piece of packing materials the compressing (NOT TO TIGHT) will stop the leak for years. I did this on high pressure steam lines with great success. Just be gentle

I thought I had a huge problem and now I read your tip and turn the handle slightly to the right the dripping has stopped thank you so much!