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Knowing Where Your Home’s Water Shut Off Valves Are Located Could Prevent a Plumbing Disaster

May 27, 2022

Knowing Where Your Home's Water Shut Off Valves Are Located Could Prevent a Plumbing DisasterEvery homeowner in Oceanside, CA is going to deal with a water leak sooner or later.

But are you prepared for the big one? By big one, we mean a major home water leak that has the potential to cause thousands of dollars in property damage. Do you know how to protect your home until help can arrive?

Some home water leaks are the drip drip drip variety. Disaster can be averted by placing a pot, pail, or other containers underneath to catch the leaking water. This will prevent any damage until the plumber can arrive.

Then there’s the gusher. It’s like somebody turned your home into a water park. Pots, pans, and dry towels aren’t going to stop this monster. And you’re going to need a lot more than a mop to clean up the mess.

The pressure that keeps the water flowing into your home doesn’t stop when a pipe breaks or bursts. It will continue to flow at a rate of about 10 to 15 gallons per minute. You could be facing thousands in property damage and structural damage to your home. The longer the leak continues the worse the damage will become. You need to take emergency action.

If You Can’t Stop the Leak, Stop the Water

If you can’t stop the leak, then you need to stop the water. This may involve turning off an isolation valve or even your home’s main water shut-off valve.

Isolation valves are connected to the fixtures and appliances in your home, such as the toilet, sinks, and hot water heater. If the source of the leak is an overflowing toilet, shutting off the isolation valve (located on the water line going into your toilet) should do the trick.

On the other hand, if the leak is caused by a broken water pipe located behind a wall, you may have to take more drastic action. This involves shutting off the main water valve to your home. Most water meter setups have two valves, one on the street side of the meter and one on the house side.

First, try shutting off the one on the house side. This is known as the service shut-off valve. There are two main types of shut-off valves: the gate valve and the ball valve. Simply adjust the valves until the water flow is cut off.

If you can’t locate the service shutoff you can shut the water off using the shutoff valves located on either side of your water meter. Most water meters are located in your front yard on the easement between the sidewalk and the street.

Oceanside CA’s First Choice for Plumbing Emergencies

1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration has been providing outstanding emergency plumbing services to home and business owners in Oceanside, CA, and surrounding communities since 2012. Our team of licensed plumbers is available 24/7 to tackle whatever plumbing problem you may be experiencing. In most cases, we can be on-site within an hour of your call. We’ll also be able to help you locate your home’s water shut-off valve.

You can reach 1st Choice Plumbing, Flood & Restoration through our website, or call us at 866-437-0205 to speak with an Oceanside, CA plumber about your emergency plumbing situation.