Knowing how to turn off the gas, power, or water in your home or business during an emergency will save money in repairs and damages. If you and your adult family members learn where the emergency switches and shut-off valves are, you will quickly fix the challenge before calling plumbing services.
There is no specific place in every house where these water supply valves are located. If you and your adult family members have not learned the procedure, you will spend a lot of time finding them, and sadly the time is never available during an emergency. Therefore, listed below are tips on completely shutting off the water during an emergency.
Locate the shut-off valve
The main water shut-off valve could be placed in different areas, depending on the age of your house, the design, and the climate of the area. The guiding valve will either be a ball valve with a lever-style handle or a gate valve that looks like a circular fixture. Before you call professional plumbing services, look for the valve in the following areas:
Inside the house
Ideally, water supply pipes from the city will run from the side of the street to inside the house. Therefore concentrate on the utility areas such as the basement, garage, or laundry room along the exterior walls facing the street.
Outdoor on an exterior wall
Mainly in warmer areas, the water shut-off valve will likely be outside the house on an exterior wall. Look for it near your outdoor faucet.
Outdoor near the street
If you did not find the valve in your house, check it out in the street. There is usually a water supply valve outside your home where the city can access it to shut on and off your water supply. It is likely to be below an access panel below the ground near the street. You will require a unique meter key tool available in most hardware shops to remove the cover.
Turn off the water
When turning off the water, give a gate valve a few clockwise turns until you cannot turn it anymore. If it is a ball valve, turn the lever clockwise at 90 degrees.
Run the taps
Drain all the water in the pipes to relieve pressure. Turn on a sink located at the lowest level of the house so that water from the higher levels may drain down. Make sure to empty both the hot and cold water taps.
Turn the water back on
Once you are done repairing, turn the valve counterclockwise to turn on the water. Test if everything is working by turning on a faucet and allowing a few minutes for the water to flow.
If you or your adult family members have never shut off the main water valve before, you need to do it today to test it. You’ll need some tools to do it; an adjustable wrench, slip joint pliers, and a bucket, all of which are readily available in a hardware shop. You will not need to contact plumbing services in Medina, OH, before you try it out.
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