Water lines run throughout the walls in your home to send water to faucets, showers and bathtubs, and other appliances. We rely on those lines to get the water where it needs to be, but what happens when one of those water lines is compromised? Even a small pinhole sized leak can cause significant damage to your home very quickly. In the event of a leak in one of your water lines, you need to know how to turn off the water running throughout your home quickly.
What Causes A Water Line To Start Leaking?
Here are a few different reasons a water line might develop a sudden leak:
- High water pressure – Over time high water pressure can put stress on your pipes, especially at the joints. This stress can eventually lead to a burst water line.
- Corrosion – Older homes with copper or galvanized steel pipes are susceptible to corrosion, especially when acidic well water is running through those water lines. That corrosion wears away until a hole in the pipe develops.
- Faulty pipes – From the mid 1970’s through the mid 1990’s polybutylene pipes, also known as Quest pipes and recognizable by their grey color, were installed in many homes. While they were marketed as the “pipe of the future”, they become brittle over time especially when exposed to oxidants and chlorine that are found in our water. As the pipes become brittle, micro cracks begin to form on the inside of the water line, and eventually the pipes will begin to leak.
- Temperature changes – Water that freezes expands, and a pipe full of water that is freezing has no room for that added expansion causing the water line to burst.
Take Time Today To Locate Your Main Valve!
When a leak develops in a water line, even when it is as small as a pin hole, water damage in your home begins quickly and can end up costing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. Every homeowner or renter should know exactly where their main valve is located, and how to use it.
Your main valve is typically located in the basement or in a utility closet, most often near where your water meter is located on the outside of the house – but not always! You might have to do some searching if you don’t already know where it is. And if you still can’t locate your main valve, a plumber will be able to help you find it.
How To Shut Off A Ball Valve
A ball valve will have a handle similar to the red one pictured below. When the handle is parallel to the water line, it is open. When the handle is perpendicular to the water line, it is closed. Keep in mind valves can wear out over time, never force a valve open or closed and you should hear the sound of the flow of water stopping when you turn the valve.
How To Shut Off A Gate Valve
A gate valve has a circular handle like the red one pictured below. When the handle is turned counterclockwise the valve will be opened, while turning it clockwise will close it. Never use anything other than your hands to turn a valve. If you are having trouble opening or closing any valves in your home, or you suspect that one is no longer functional, give us a call!
How To Effectively Drain The Water From Your Water Lines
Knowing where your main valve is and shutting it off in the event of a water line leak is the first step to stopping the flow of water through that pipe. After the valve is shut off, turn on all of the faucets throughout your house to drain the remaining water from the lines. At this point it is time to call in a plumber to repair that leak!
If you are having trouble finding your main valve, you are concerned about the integrity of your main valve or water lines, or if you are experiencing a water leak in your home, call Trident Plumbing today at 540-642-0023!
