Shutoff Valves

Every home has a number of shutoff valves that are important parts of any plumbing system — and they are prone to problems and can lead to plumbing nightmares. The pros at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Denver can help by inspecting all of the shutoff valves, making sure they work properly, fixing them if needed and, perhaps most important, letting the homeowner know where they are and how they work in case of an emergency.

The most important shutoff valve is, of course, the main water shutoff valve that will shut down all of the water flow in your home. This is particularly important if you have a burst or frozen pipe flooding your basement or some other area in your home. Most often, the main shutoff valve is located inside the home where the main water line enters the structure, but in some cases they are located underground outside on the main line leading into the home. The valve itself is usually of two types: the round gate valve, like the one on outdoor faucets, or a ball valve that is operated with a lever. Homeowners should know where it is in case of emergency, of course, but as most home seldom experience a problem the real issue is that the valve itself is very seldom used. Because of this, washers or gaskets in the valve can become brittle over time and fail to work properly when the need arises, so it is wise to have a plumber check the valve from time to time to ensure that when the need arises, it will indeed shut down the water.

If you happen to be one of the unlucky few who have an outdoor, underground shutoff valve, it would be wise to have the pros at Ben Franklin Plumbing of Denver put a new one or a second one inside the home and relieve the homeowner of the headache of locating the shutoff valve in an emergency.

Of course, every toilet and sink in the home also have shutoff valves, usually located behind the toilet tank or in the cabinet under the sink. Here too, since they are seldom used, the washers and gaskets in them can become brittle over time and require replacement. In rare occasions, these shutoff valves may also break and lead to flooding. Let the plumbing professionals at Ben Franklin Plumbing of Denver inspect and repair these shutoff valves to ensure that, when needed, they work as advertised. Most often these are very inexpensive repairs or maintenance — the replacement of a ten-cent washer for instance — that can save a lot of money and headaches should the system fail.

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