The Importance of Water Valves . . .

Imagine walking into a room of your home and noticing water on the floor, with more and more pouring in by the second? Would you know what to do? Who to call, and how to stop the water from continuing to flow? Chances are that sometime during your lifetime, you might just face some kind of home based water disaster, and although you can’t always prevent one from happening, you can do your best to be prepared!

Water valves aren’t talked about too often, but boy oh boy, are they are important! Knowing where the water valve is located in your home should be something found ahead of time (as in today), not that you are frantically trying to find in the midst of a chaotic situation. So let’s take a few minutes to share some Duraclean pearls of wisdom. You never know, you might just find this information helpful in the future.

Water disasters can come in many forms, but a few of the most common happen through overflowing toilets and broken pipes. The first order of business is to shut the water valve off IMMEDIATELY! Do not take a moment to wake up your spouse, to phone a friend for advice, or to check out the internet for helpful information. . . .Just shut it OFF as quickly as possible!(then you can do those other things)Unfortunately, water valves are not always found in the most obvious places, so TODAY is the day that you should start looking around. Trust me, it’s much easier to locate it now, rather than later!

There are a few different kinds of Water Valves. . .

BALL VALVES –  These tend to be a little less problematic some of the others, and are pretty easy to operate. They have an external lever located on the outside of the water pipe that can be pushed instead of turned, making it much easier to tell when the valve has been shut off completely.

BUTTERFLY VALVES – These are similar to Ball Valves in that they both use a lever to turn the water on and off, however, the water flow is controlled by a disc located inside the pipe that must turn to a ninety degree angle to successfully turn off completely. Once the disc has been successfully turned, the water will shut off instantly.

WASHER VALVES –  are a bit more complicated, but they seem to be the most commonly used. Varying a bit on their exterior design, for the most part, they work the same way. By turning a round handle, the water valve becomes constricted, causing the flow to cease quickly.

No matter which style of Water Valve you have, its important to know exactly where they are located BEFORE a Water Emergency occurs.

If you have City Water, and live in a colder climate, chances are that your water valve is located in your utility room (or basement) along with your furnace and hot water heater. If you look around , the largest pipe in the room should be leading out of the foundation and directly into the street, and the shut off valve should be located near that pipe.

However, if you are living in a warmer climate, perhaps your shut off valve will be located in a concrete or plastic utility box somewhere in the ground in the front of your house or close to the street. Once you figure out exactly where this box is, since it is located outside, be sure to clean off any excess dirt that might make it difficult for you to get to it right away in the midst of a water emergency. Remember, easy access is key.

If you have well water, chances are that you will find your water valve located near the pressure tank, however, it might  also be located in a small well house nearby. If you happen to see multiple valves, be sure to turn only one valve at a time, checking the faucet in between to be sure you’re turning the valve that controls the water. Remember, there is a possibility that you might trip the circuit breaker to the well, so be aware.

Once you have located your water valve, it is a good idea to tie a ribbon around it, that way in the future, if a water emergency should happen. you will immediately know which valve to turn!

When the water has been turned off, assess the damage. There’s a good chance that you will need to call a Plumber to find out the underlying reason for your water disaster. As far as the clean up and restoration, that’s where Duraclean comes in. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, our company is ALWAYS available to get the job done! Offering Water Mitigation, Mold Remediation, Full Reconstruction, Professional Carpet Cleaning and a lovely Showroom filled with the latest Flooring options, Duraclean is able to walk you through the Restoration Process from beginning to end. With over 30 years in the Restoration business and an outstanding reputation within the community, paired with the latest cleaning techniques, highest safety standards and experienced staff, Duraclean is easily able to meet ALL of your Restoration needs with complete customer satisfaction.

Hopefully you will never face a water emergency, but if you do, having a plan in place will give you peace of mind. So as they rains come down, pipes burst and toilets continue to overflow, rest easy knowing that whatever water situation you may find yourself in, everything is going to be ok! . . .

And remember, “No One is Faster to the Disaster!” Call 410-838-7330 ANY time!