Hello and Happy New Year -
Educating my clients (and everyone else!) is the most important part of my job. Whether you own a home already or are thinking of buying one, it is crucial to know how to maintain it, keep it valuable and ultimately, stay safe in it. I have compiled this simple but often overlooked information for you. Feel free to print it or share it.
If after reading through these instructions, you are confused, please email/text/call me. I can help or set you up with someone who can.
I am never too busy for your referrals and appreciate it so much when you share my name with others!
Thank you and I hope this is useful information.
Sarah
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How to shut off your water and gas in case of an emergency
Take your device with you and go and explore the areas I am describing. When an actual emergency is occurring you will be flustered so it is best to practice in advance.
WATER SHUT OFF
Most of our homes in the East Bay have two places to shut off water:
There is a valve at the meter by the street. Typically this valve is found under an oval concrete lid flush with the sidewalk. Shutting the water off here requires a tool. There are special long devices but a large crescent wrench usually works. Here is the tool if you want to purchase it online, although Pastime Hardware sells it:
https://www.amazon.com/LASCO-13-2500-2-Inch-26-Inch-Pattern/dp/B0083GC9GG
There is a rectangular tab, sometimes with slightly rounded corners - find that. When the rectangle is parallel with the pipe, the water is ON. When the rectangle is perpendicular, the water is OFF (as the valve is closed). I think of the tab as a dam, stopping up the water and that helps me to remember.
The 2nd place -
There is also typically a valve where the water enters the home. There are several types, but the most common is at the hose bib (where the water that supplies your hose comes out of the house/ground). This is usually at the front of the house. On that same piece of pipe, between the hose bib and the street is another valve, often it looks like the valve on the hose bib. This is the house water shutoff. If it has a handle or a wheel, then turning it clockwise entirely will shut off the water. If the handle is missing or nonexistent then either purchase a handle from Pastime Hardware or use a #5WR 5” Vice-Grip. Here is a link if you want to purchase it online:
https://www.amazon.com/8-Inch-Capacity-5-Inch-Curved-Locking/dp/B00002N6RL
The older shutoff valves are called Compression Valves and may require some force to break loose and even then it won’t shut off all the way unless you are quite strong (replacing the faucet washer generally solves this problem).
If a pipe burst or you suddenly have water flowing through a ceiling, from a hidden pipe, this is the time to shut off your water, and in a hurry!
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GAS SHUT OFF
Your gas shutoff valve, near your gas meter, looks and works the same as the water main at the sidewalk.
You will find it much easier to use a specific tool to turn off the gas. Here is a link to an online source:
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Shut-Off-Wrench-Opening-Stamped/dp/B00ICSHU1O
You should absolutely own this device and as importantly, fasten it to your gas meter (preferably removable so you can help your neighbors). When practicing or making sure your tools work, do not turn your gas off.
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Take Note
There are devices that turn off both the gas and the water, such as:
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Tool-Sparking-Preparedness-Disaster/dp/B001CSCC7I/
I recommend making your purchase at Pastime and only using the online resources for visual aid. The employees will be able to speak with some authority and particularly if you bring photos of your shut off valves, will be able to help you better understand what you are doing. Consider laminating this paper and adding it to your emergency kit.
