How to turn off city water main valve ?
#1
02-23-17, 09:29 AM
How to turn off city water main valve ?
Hello all,
My house is equipped with this style of shut off valve.
What is the correct way to turn it off in emergency?
Thank you
My house is equipped with this style of shut off valve.
What is the correct way to turn it off in emergency?
Thank you
#3
02-23-17, 11:19 AM
That's the cover for the valve the actual valve could be as far down is 4 feet. Depending on where you live for frost line purposes. You'll need a long water key which you can find at Home Depot. But I will look into installing a main shut off valve Somewhere near the house that you can get to
#4
02-23-17, 11:27 AM
Super Moderator
I can't see there being a need to touch the municipal valve.
As long as your valve works it is not necessary and if you have a problem with the valve in your house now is the time to fix it.
Besides, it is fairly common for a curb stop to fail and if it does when you touch it guess who pays the bill to fix it.
As long as your valve works it is not necessary and if you have a problem with the valve in your house now is the time to fix it.
Besides, it is fairly common for a curb stop to fail and if it does when you touch it guess who pays the bill to fix it.
#5
02-23-17, 08:53 PM
I agree with Greg. Make sure your house shutoff valve works well (or at least reasonably well) and your family knows where it is if there's a leak.
Any outside-the-house leak can be shut off by the water company via their emergency hotline. I would always let them turn it on/off so they have to fix it if they break it.
Any outside-the-house leak can be shut off by the water company via their emergency hotline. I would always let them turn it on/off so they have to fix it if they break it.
#7
02-25-17, 07:34 PM
Group Moderator
Ok..... putting all the warnings aside about possibly damaging the valve while turning it off.
You unscrew that cap counter-clockwise. It may be rusted on and require a pipe wrench.
You go to a plumbing supply, many hardware stores and even some home improvement stores like home depot and purchase a water main key.
The tool gets inserted into the pipe until it engages the valve below ground.
Turning clockwise to shut off the water.
You unscrew that cap counter-clockwise. It may be rusted on and require a pipe wrench.
You go to a plumbing supply, many hardware stores and even some home improvement stores like home depot and purchase a water main key.
The tool gets inserted into the pipe until it engages the valve below ground.
Turning clockwise to shut off the water.
#8
02-25-17, 07:42 PM
Super Moderator
I can't imagine any emergency that would require touching that valve.
There are a few different key sizes and some stop valves are a globe style that take multiple turns to operate and others are 1/4 turn ball style.
So, what do you do if the valve is stiff when you try to shut it off which some are?....continue turning to close or break a 1/4 turn valve?
There are a few different key sizes and some stop valves are a globe style that take multiple turns to operate and others are 1/4 turn ball style.
So, what do you do if the valve is stiff when you try to shut it off which some are?....continue turning to close or break a 1/4 turn valve?
#9
02-26-17, 03:19 AM
You'd want to turn off the meter valve if there is a leak between the meter and the house. I have over 500' of PVC between the meter and my house. I've shut the water off at the meter countless times over the years although the last leak I had the meter valve would no longer completely shut off and I ended up installing a ball valve next to it.
