If you have a plumbing issue, water running all over your house, a split tap washer, or a burst water heater, and your water meter refuses to turn off, you could be in trouble! So, get in touch with an emergency plumber! And learn how to turn off the water for plumbing repairs.
Do you think it’s important?
Yes, absolutely!
When you need to get any plumbing repair done safely and efficiently, it is crucial that you first turn off the water supply.
Have no idea?
No worries! Hydro Plumbing Services collated all of the necessary information you need. If your home requires plumbing repairs, you must first turn off the water supply before proceeding. Numerous aspects you should consider depending on what has to be repaired. There are also several ways to guarantee your water, just turn it off to allow the plumber to conduct any necessary repairs.
So, do yourself a favor and learn how to turn off the water with the help of Hydro Plumbing Services. Here’s what you need to know about turning off the water for plumbing repairs Sydney.
You can actually fix it yourself without the help of a professional. However, hiring a skilled plumber to fix the water problem is a safe and secure option. Keep this in mind! You need to know how to turn off the water supply without the use of any equipment before calling for an emergency plumber.
It is critical to turn off the water supply before beginning any plumbing repair work in your house or near your home. There are several methods and sites for stopping the flow of water, and you should before proceeding to the next step.
Let’s get into all the details.
The location is usually determined by the scope of the repair required. Keep on reading and learn the most prevalent places where water is turned off.
Here’s what you need to know about turning off the water supply.
WATER HEATER
A cold water inlet pipe and a hot water outlet pipe are present in a water heater. As a result, each pipe has its own shutoff valve.
The hot water exit line contains a shutoff valve that prevents all hot water from leaving the heater. If you leak any of your home’s hot water pipes, you should turn off this valve since it controls all of the hot water in your home.
The cold water inlet pipe contains a shutoff valve that prevents all cold water from entering the heater from the main supply. Turn off this valve if you wish to replace or repair the heater.
You must recognize each of the two valves because they are always fairly close to each other. Water heaters employ color coding to allow for such identification and to avoid mistakes. The cold water inlet valve has a blue handle, whereas the hot water outflow valve has a red handle. It would be difficult to recognize the valve that has to be closed if there was no color marking.
OTHER APPLIANCES OR FIXTURES
Several household equipment and fixtures rely on some type of water delivery. Washing machines, refrigerators, and dishwashers are basic equipment found in almost every home. Toilets, showers, sink faucets, and bathtubs are examples of standard fixtures.
If any of these appliances or fixtures develop a leak, you should try to switch off the water to that specific appliance or fixture. Turning off the water supply locally ensures that other appliances and fixtures in your home continue to function while you replace the leaking fixture.
To turn off the water, locate the fixture shutoff valve. It may vary in look and location, but it will always be adjacent to the appliance or fixture. While it is preferable to turn off the water at the source of the problem, if you cannot locate the appliance or fixture shutoff valve, you can also turn off water non-locally.
Let’s take a closer look at each fixture and appliance.
Washing Machines – Almost every washing machine has two water entry valves, one for hot water and one for cold water. These valves can be found in your laundry’s utility sink. These valves may be found in a recessed compartment in the wall near the machine. It is simple to turn these valves off before your washing machine is fixed.
Dishwashers – The water supply tube linked to the dishwasher is frequently controlled by a shutdown valve. It can be found under the base cabinet housing your kitchen sink or near the sink faucet shutdown valves.
Refrigerators – A fixture shutoff valve or a small saddle valve is commonly attached to the fridge’s little mesh or copper supply line. To shut off the water supply to the refrigerator, close this valve. A refrigerator’s supply tube may occasionally tap into a water supply pipe beneath the sink near the sink faucet supply tubes.
Toilets – Because toilets only utilize cold water, there is only one shutoff valve near the floor. It is located at the bottom of the water tank, just below the water supply valve. The water supply valve is normally located towards the bottom left side of the tank.
Sink Faucets – The water supply tubes are linked to the tailpieces of the faucet from beneath the sink, where the shutoff valves are positioned. There will be two valves if the faucet provides both hot and cold water.
Showers and Bathtubs – Finding the shower and tub shutoff valves might be difficult. These are typically found in an access panel near the tub or shower. It is frequently located on the opposite side of the wall, in the basement under the floor, or the lower level ceiling access panel.
If the main water supply line leaks someplace, or if there is no shutoff valve for the fixture that needs to be fixed or replaced, you must turn off the water for the entire house. The primary valve can be difficult to operate because it is rarely used and tends to stiffen over time.
In utility space, the main shutoff valve is normally positioned near the entry of the main water line. If you can’t find it there, it’s presumably on an outside wall near the water meter. This valve should be easy to spot because it is rather big and is always situated on the house-side of the water meter.
We recommend that you empty the water supply pipes by removing any standing water in the plumbing system. It will ensure that no water leaks out when the repair process begins. To accomplish this, simply follow these simple steps:
- Close the main valve.
- Turn on the smallest faucet (basement or ground-level outdoor).
- Turn on the highest faucet.
- All standing water will be drained via the water supply lines.
WATER METER
You could turn off the water by closing the valve on the water meter as the last option, but we strongly advise against it. The water meter is not your personal property, and it should only be utilized if your house’s main shutoff valve is broken or does not exist at all.
Water meter boxes are often equipped with two shutdown valves:
- One on the city side of the meter.
- One on the customer side of the meter.
Shutting off the water meter valve should be done with caution, and permission should be sought first. On the city side of the water meter, many rules prohibit homeowners from touching any part of the plumbing system.
Final Thoughts!
In a nutshell, when you are trying to turn off the water for plumbing repairs, use a bottom-up strategy. Always try to stop the water flow only where the repair is required. When a home’s water supply system leaks or a plumbing item has to be repaired, you need to turn off the water. It’s preferable to start with the valve closest to the source of the problem. The rest of the house will still have a working water supply this way. You must turn off the water before changing or fixing any fixture or appliance and if you still have the slightest shiver of doubt, call a plumber.
What do you think?
Contact the experts from Hydro Plumbing Services for any plumbing repairs you need by visiting our official website. Hydro Plumbing Services is your specialist in hot water system Sydney, and we can assist you with all of your hot water needs or any plumbing issues, whether it’s a new installation, replacement, or repair. We work hard to think through your plumbing problem or challenge to provide the best solution possible the first time. We want to help you with all of your plumbing issues in the most ethical, efficient, and effective manner possible. If you’re unsure which system is best for you and your budget, give us a call, and we will walk you through the process of selecting the most practical hot water system and plumbing repair for your needs!
Check out our affordable plumbing Sydney. We are available 24/7 and want to be your first call when an emergency. Call 1300 493 082.