Emergency Shut-Off Valves in Your Home
In the event of a water or gas emergency, such as flooding or a gas leak, the first step is to shut off the main line to prevent further damage and protect your home or business.
How do I shut off the water supply to my home or business?
There are several reasons a property owner may need to shut-off the main water supply. Some key indicators that your main water line may need to be shut-off include: burst pipes, major leaks or a damaged water heater. Additionally, it’s good to develop a habit of shutting-off your main water line when there will not be anyone on the property for 24 hours or longer. This helps to protect your home or business from potential water damage that could occur while leaving the property unattended.
You will begin the process of shutting-off your main water line by locating the shut-off valve. This is typically located in the basement, attic, under the kitchen sink, garage, crawlspace or near the utility box located at the entrance of the property by your water meter. It should be easily identifiable by the red color on the handle.
Once located, you will either turn the knob counter- clockwise or turn the handle a quarter turn, so that it faces the opposite direction. To ensure the water is completely shut off you will keep turning the knob until you can no longer turn further. Be cautious during this process not to force the knob/ handle past its stopping point as this could damage the unit.
Once you’ve completed this process you have successfully shut-off the main water line! This is the ideal time to take a closer look at any damage caused by excess water and begin servicing the issue yourself or to contact our team of professionals at Mile High Plumbing, Electric and Air to assist you during the process.
How do I shut off the gas supply to my home or business?
During the event of an emergency such as a suspected gas leak or strange odor filling your home or business, do not attempt to shut off the gas yourself. You should always leave that to a trusted professional that is familiar with the correct safety procedures to take to prevent bodily harm and damage to your property.
However, there are events where shutting the gas off as a precaution is necessary. For example, if you plan on leaving your home or business unattended during a vacation or over a long weekend it would be beneficial to shut off your main gas line to prevent a potential emergency.
When locating your main gas line you will have to take the age of your home or business into account. Newer homes will have the main gas line located in a utility room, likely in your basement or garage, near the water heater and furnace. However, in an older home your main gas line may be located outside near your gas meter.
Once you’ve located your main gas line the next step will be to locate the valve shut-off. Newer homes should have a valve that is easily identifiable by its yellow handle. Older homes should have a valve shut-off that looks like a rectangular nub and is likely the same color as the surrounding pipe. If you have a newer home with a yellow handled valve, you will give it a quarter turn to initiate the shut-off, in older homes you will turn the rectangular shaped nub counter-clockwise until you cannot turn it anymore. Be cautious when turning so as to not overturn and break/ damage the valve.
Once you’ve completed this process you have successfully shut off your main gas line. If at any point during this process you smell a strange odor or hear the sound of gas escaping, it’s important to stop immediately and seek the assistance of a professional. Gas leaks can be extremely dangerous and it’s important to be cautious throughout this entire process. Your first priority should always be safety.
How do I shut off the water supply to my toilet?
During a plumbing emergency it’s important to know how to shut-off the water supply to your toilet without shutting-off the water to your entire property. If a toilet is running continuously or overflowing this is definitely an indication that the plumbing to your toilet needs to be serviced and to prevent further damage you will need to initiate a shut-off. Luckily for most property owners, this is something you should be able to do on your own.
The shut-off valve on toilets tends to be relatively universal. The valve will either be located behind the toilet or on the side. You will be looking for either a lever or oval shaped valve knob. Once you’ve located the valve you will turn it clockwise to shut down the water supply. This will allow you to easily inspect the issue and address whether or not you will need to contact a professional for service.
How do I shut off the water to my faucets and fixtures?
Leaky faucets and fixtures can be a large inconvenience and unfortunately it holds the potential to snowball into a much larger concern. It is possible to shut off the water to specific faucets and fixtures without shutting off the water to your home. This allows you to continue using alternate forms of water while preventing further damage. Whether you are experiencing a minor leak or a plumbing emergency, it’s best to become familiar with the necessary precautions to protect your home or business.
You will begin by locating the shut-off valve to your faucet. Typically this can be located underneath the sink and connected to the water lines. It should be easily identifiable by its oval shape. Once it has been located you will turn the valve clockwise to shut-off the water supply. Once this is done your shut- off process is complete. However, this does not solve the issue and it is likely you will need to inspect the area and attempt a DIY fix or contact a professional for additional service. Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.