It’s safer to be safe than sorry, as the old saying goes. We have airbags in all of our cars, even if we don’t intend to use them. This is also true for your home’s plumbing system. It has some safety features to help prevent costly water damage or emergency situations.
Even if your not a plumber, it is important to know the location of all shut-off valves in your home. These valves can be used to stop water from flowing through your pipes to any fixture, such as a toilet, shower-head, or faucet.
There are two types of shutoff valves. Our Long Beach Plumbers show you how to find them both in this blog.
Main water shut off valve
The main water shutoff valve in your home can turn off the water supply to your entire house. This valve should be located on the ground floor or basement, near the main water line.
Refer to your home inspection report if you are having trouble finding the main shutoff valve. It may be marked or labeled.
Once you have located the main shutoff valve, be sure to not hide it behind a wall or block it with large objects. You should instantly locate the main shut-off valve if you have a serious plumbing problem such as a burst pipe. This will allow you to quickly turn off the water supply and prevent any further damage.
Fixture shut-off valves
The main water shutoff valve controls water throughout the house, but many fixtures have their own valves that turn off water at specific locations. These are great for when you need to replace or repair a fixture, but don’t want to interrupt the flow of water throughout the house.
Sink faucets, toilets and washing machines are just a few of the fixtures with shut-off valves. The valve can be found behind or under the fixture. It may look like a small wheel you turn or a lever.
Each line will have its own shut-off valve if the fixture is using hot or cold water. It is a good idea to have everyone know where the shutoff valves in your house. You can quickly turn the valve to prevent a minor plumbing problem from turning into a costly, major mess.