A homeowner who is completely ignorant about the location of water shut-off valves, is inviting a possible hazard to his home. It is quite essential to know the operation of these shut-off valves as they’re the preliminary components of the entire plumbing architecture. Whenever a plumbing issue occurs, the first thing to do is to shut off the water supply to the affected plumbing unit.
Hence it becomes mandatory for a homeowner to possess a good idea about the location as well as the working of these water valves.
Normally the building codes allow a main water valve just adjacent to the water meter. The location of the main shut off-valve varies depending on the place where your main water meter is installed. If it is an individual meter that determines the water supply to your home only then it could be located just outside your home in the water meter box. If however the whole building has a common water meter then you probably have to run outside your building to turn off the valve in case of an emergency.
The latest building codes demand the installation of individual shut-off valves along with each plumbing component to prevent any possible disaster. The plumbing units such as sinks, faucets, water heaters etc. come equipped with the valves that control their water supply.
If you notice a sudden rise in the water level of your sink and the water starts to blow out of the tap then shut off the valve lying underside the sink setup. Make sure that the supply to both the hot water tap and cold water tap is turned off. In such a case, running down to the main shut-off valve may prove costly for you and may worsen the situation.
Similar to the kitchen sinks, the bathroom sinks and the toilets are provided with their associated shut off valves as well. Such valves reduce the intensity of a possible hazard and prevent a wide-scale damage.
Sometimes it takes more than just bare hands to turn off a valve handle to cut short the water supply. Hence it becomes obligatory to keep the basic plumbing tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers in tact. Make sure that the finish of the nuts or bolts of the valves is not altered during the overall process.
Hence it can be concluded that these water shut-off valves can definitely save the day for you when a hazard is met.
Scott Rodgers is an acknowledged author who has been providing great motivation on plumbing works all over the nation. His unique knowledge has, in fact, sparked significant rise in revenue for talented plumbers across the nation, from Downers Grove Plumbers (Need one? click here!) to Dundee Plumbers (Need one? click here!).
