Water damage from frozen pipes, ruptured washer hoses, leaking supply lines and dripping water heaters costs billions every year. This checklist will help you avoid water leak problems in your house.
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How to Shut Off Main Water Valve
Before you head out of town, you’ll want to shut off the main water line to prevent any change of water damage while you’re away. Many water meter setups have two valves, one on the street side of the meter and one on the house side. If you live in a colder climate, you’ll typically find the main shutoff in the basement near the front of the house. In warmer climates, it will be outside your home attached to an exterior wall or in an underground box with a removable lid.
There are two types of main shutoff valves: the gate valve and the ball valve. The gate valve is common in older homes and has a round handle that must be turned a number of times to open or close the valve. Gate valves are designed to be fully open or fully closed. Water flowing through a partially open gate valve can wear away the metal and cause the valve to fail over time. The ball valve is more common in newer construction and has a lever handle that needs to be turned 90 degrees to turn the water on or off. You can immediately tell if it’s open or not: In the closed position, the lever is perpendicular to the pipes; in the open position it’s parallel.
If you’ve never shut off the main water valve before, test it before you leave on vacation. You’ll need an adjustable wrench, a bucket and slip joint pliers. Turn on a faucet somewhere in the house and shut off the main water valve. All water flow should stop. An old gate valve can break, so be gentle when you’re handling it. If the valve is stuck, leave it alone. If it leaks or doesn’t shut off all the way, have a licensed plumber replace the valve or replace it yourself if you’re comfortable with a straightforward plumbing project. You’ll need to call your water department (and possibly pay a small fee) to have the water to your house turned off at the curb stop while you make the repair.
If you have a well, shut off the electrical switch for the well when you leave for an extended period so it won’t pump any water while you’re gone.
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Types of Water Shut Off Valves
There are two types of main shutoff valves for a main water line. Gate valves (top) are common in older homes. The valve closes when a wedge-shaped brass gate is lowered into a slot. Ball valves (bottom), which contain a pivoting stainless steel ball with a hole drilled through the center, are less prone to wear.