02/18/2021
Texas' unfortunate weather situation gives us a good reminder of that as homeowners we should know exactly where both our water shut offs are located! 🥶
🏘️ with city water should have in inside water shut-off valve where the water comes into the 🏠 and one located in the yard near the street (often known a 'curb-stop').
If a pipe bursts 💦 or another problem occurs such as a broken faucet, a broken washer or washer hose, etc., you should be able to quickly shut off your water where it comes into the house and minimize the damage from flooding.
In very cold years ❄️like this one❄️ frost penetrates deep into the ground and could burst your buried water supply line. We've all seen water mains bursting in the winter, flooding the streets. The same thing can happen to your yard!
An accident resulting in a broken line just before the indoor main water shut off valve, would require shutting off water 'at the curb' too. A more common situation is that the indoor valve is simply stuck open or leaking!
In either scenario, it's necessary to find where your curb-stop is quickly. Most of us do not have the tool to shut off water at the curb, but for less that $25 from a plumbing supply store, it's a good investment and can be handy in non-emergency situations too!
Whether you have the tool or not, it's a good idea to know where your curb shutoff is. It's often located in the sidewalk or within 5-10 feet of the street--you're looking for a 4 inch metal cap! I suggest measuring and writing down it's location measured from both the curb and the driveway so when it's covered with ❄️, 🧊, 🍃, or 🌾 you can quickly locate it. If nothing else knowing it's location will reduce your plumber's hourly rate!
A final piece of advice: open and close ALL of your home's shut off valves-including each sink and toilet-once or twice a year (Hot Tip: Put it on your calendar). Unused valves corrode and stick No need to open them all the way either--90% is great. Fully open tends to stick... Keeping them moving freely will help in emergency and non-emergency situations.
This simple action could save you thousands in an emergency or more likely hundreds in a fixture replacement. 🛠️
