How to Shut Off the Water During An Emergency

(May 1, 2003) Ah! The excitement of owning your own home. So much to do. Painting, wallpapering, carpeting, new furniture, decorating. You can see it in your mind’s eye. Just like the photo shoot from last month's Architectural Digest. Yes! Like a celebrity home. Ralph Lauren blues and golds. Large tassels hanging from the sides of your 16th-century tapestry. Fine Persian rugs and regal window treatments; swags and jabots in bright floral patterns. Details! Crown molding with ornate scrollwork. A hand-carved ceiling sconce with a Baccarat chandelier hanging above the brilliant mahogany dining room table. Martha Stewart ain’t got nothin’ on me! More? The flaking brown stain in the ceiling adjacent to the----- BROWN STAIN?

(How did that get into the middle of my fantasy make over?)

There is water coming through! Yes. Dripping onto grandmother’s Oriental rug. It’s soaking wet! Oh no! The horror sets in.
Your legs become weak. Shallow breathing and fatigue begin. You start to sweat and you’re feeling faint. Then suddenly, from deep down inside, you scream in total panic, “TURN OFF THE WATER!”

Then you snap out of it.

Back to reality. But you begin to wonder, “ Hey, how do I turn off the water during a plumbing emergency?”

In most single family homes there are three types of water shut-off valves that the homeowner should be aware of.

The first type of valve is the fixture shut-off valve. Most toilets, sinks, and basins have shut-off valves that are located directly below the fixture. Most have round handles that turn counter clockwise (OPEN) and clockwise (CLOSED) or “ Lefty-Loosey” and “Righty-Tighty.” This valve can be shut off if you notice water leaking on the floor beneath the fixture, or if the faucet drips and needs maintenance.

The second type of valve is called the riser valve. These valves are usually located in the basement at the base of the riser piping. Riser piping is the hot and cold water supply that rises one story or more in a vertical direction towards the fixture group (bathroom, kitchen, laundry, etc..). These valves should be shut off if you notice water dripping through the ceiling directly below the fixture group, or if you need to perform maintenance on the shower valve/ faucet that doesn’t have a fixture shut-off valve.

In some houses, risers and riser valves are piped to service back-to-back bathroom fixture groups or bathrooms that are stacked one on top of the other (second and third floor bathrooms). After you have shut off the riser valves, make sure the water is turned off only to the affected bathroom or fixture group.

The third type of shut-off valve is the main water shut-off valve. This is the most important water valve in the house, and every adult should know its location and how to operate it. This valve is usually located in the basement towards the front of the house and is always located next to the water meter. When this valve is shut, all the water in the house is off. If you do not know where this valve is located, contact your local plumber and have him identify and test the valve for its proper operation. He should also install a valve tag that clearly identifies the valve as the “MAIN WATER SHUT OFF VAVLE”. The worst case is to have a major flood and not know how to shut off the water in a hurry.

Knowing the locations of these valves and how to operate them will take away some of the mystery of your plumbing systems and could mean the difference between a minor leak and a complete catastrophe.

Now, Where was I?

Ah yes, TOWN & COUNTRY…………

Jim DiBuono Licensed master plumber Larchmont Plumbing and Heating 914-834-1206 larchplumb@aol.com

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