Do You Know How to Shut Your Water Off?
A water leak in your home can quickly go from an annoyance to an all-out catastrophe. As a broken toilet or dishwasher supply line spews water, the gallons quickly add up and damage to your home mounts.
You may not be a plumber or even a handyman, but there is one thing you should be able to do: QUICKLY TURN YOUR WATER OFF!
Being able to stop the flow of water into your home is the single best thing you can do to minimize damage, and it is easier than you might think.
Step 1: Determine if you are supplied by municipal water or a well.
This one is easy… if you pay a water bill you are on a municipal supply.
Step 2: Find Your Shutoff
If you have a well, you can simply go to your pressure tank and find the shutoff valve. Close the valve and the water should stop.
If you are supplied by municipal water, head to the street and look for the water meter box in the ground. It’s probably a few feet off the street somewhere along your property line.
When you lift the lid off the box, you should be able to see your water meter. It is a dial with numbers that show the amount of water you have used. Next to the water meter is your water valve. There is a good chance you will have to dig some dirt out of the box to find the valve. Once the valve is clear, use a pair of pliers to turn it back and forth a few times. It probably will only take 1/4 of a turn to fully close.
That is it! Now you know how to shut your water off in an emergency.
To learn more about what to do when you have water damage, check out our post:
Burst Pipes and Flooding: A 6 Step Plan of Action.
For more information about how to avoid water damage in the first place, check out our post:
Fun on Vacation can turn into…
Disaster when you get home! Be sure to turn your water off before you leave!
Step 3: Be Proactive
We get frequent calls from people returning home from vacation to find their homes flooded. One of our own team members had a mouse chew through his dishwater supply line while he was out of town! These unexpected leaks can lead to massive damage. Taking the simple step of shutting off your water when you will be away for a few days can save you from big repairs.
We’re Here When You Need Us
If you need help with water damage in your home, call Branch Environmental. As a company, we believe that nobody should live or work in a building that makes them sick. We take every precaution to protect your health and the health of your family. We are experts in water damage mitigation, environmental safety, and air quality, with over 25 years of experience. We treat your home or business like our own. Call us today!
Branch Environmental – Because nobody should live or work in a building that makes them sick.
For more information go to:
- Top 10 Ways to Prevent Water Damage – Branch Environmental
- Burst Pipes and Flooding: A 6 Step Plan of Action – Branch Environmental
- How To Navigate an Insurance Claim – Branch Environmental
- Branch Environmental Keeping You Safe
- How to Test Your Home’s Water Pressure – The Spruce
- Prepare Your Pipes for Winter – Branch Environmental
- 6 Tips to Keep Frozen Pipes from Bursting – Branch Environmental
- How to Avoid Utility Lines When Digging in Your Yard – The Spruce
- Mold’s Top 5 Hiding Places– Branch Environmental
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