The plumbing fixtures in our homes undergo much use and abuse. Over time this use manifests itself as a leak or a crack and before you know it, water is everywhere but where it is supposed to be! Water damage is the costly result, but if you know a little bit about your plumbing system, you may be able to prevent extensive damage.
Shutoff Valves for Individual Fixtures
Many homeowners know how to shut off the water supply to the home at the main line or the meter, but did you know that you could shut off the water supply to individual fixtures as well? Many plumbing problems are localized to one bathroom or one fixture, and luckily, most plumbing fixtures have an individual shutoff valve! You need to learn which fixtures have shutoff valves, where the shutoff valves are located, and how to shut them off properly. These skills come in handy when performing plumbing repairs or when trying to prevent water damage while waiting for a plumber to arrive.
Water Shut Offs in the Home
- Sinks: The sinks in your home will have two shutoff valves located beneath the sink. One valve controls the hot water supply and the other controls the cold. If you have dishwasher hooked up to the sink’s water supply, your kitchen sink may have 4 valves beneath it.
- Toilets: Your toilet will have one valve located behind the bowl and beneath the tank.
- Hot Water Tank: To shut off hot water to the entire home you will find a hot water shut off above your hot water tank. There will be two supply line located here, one will be warm to the touch while the other is cold. The valve on the warm line will shut of hot water to the house. If it is your water tank that is leaking, you can shut off the water supply to the tank by following the cold water supply line away from the unit. Within about 3 or 4 feet you will find the cold water shutoff valve that is supplying the heater.
- Main Shutoff Valve: Finding this valve is sometimes tricky. Depending on the home it could be in a few different places. Many homeowners find them in the front or on the side of the house near the meter, and others will find the main shut off in the basement or in the garage. It all depends on the age of your home and the climate you live in.
- Meter Shutoff: The water meter for your plumbing system will have its own shut off that can be used in emergencies or in situations where there is a fixture causing a problem that doesn’t have its own shutoff valve. You can usually find the meter on the side or in front of the home, and it will have a gauge on it that is keeping track of your home’s water consumption.
Ask a Plumber to Tag Your Shutoff Valves
If you ever have trouble finding the shutoff valves in your home, contact a local plumber. Many companies will have you talk to a plumber and with a little detective work you can usually find the shutoffs with their help. Next time you have a plumber out for a repair, make sure you ask him or her to tag all of your shutoff valves to that they are easily identified in future emergencies. Check back later this week for Part 2 or our Shutoff Valve discussion, and you will learn exactly what your valves will look like and how to shut them off properly.
