L A. City Council approves new outdoor watering limits Los Angeles Times

Table Of Content

• Common Main Shutoff Valve Locations
• Instructions for Shutting Off Your Home’s Water Supply
• Q. What if my main water valve is stuck?
• Editorial: L.A. may not get another wet winter for a while. We should prepare for drier times
• Is your water or power being shut off? You have options
• Sweeping water restrictions will change life in Southern California: A guide

In that case, you will need to turn off the house’s main shut off valve. In some cases, the home may not have a main water shutoff valve or you may not be able to find the valve. If this occurs, you should contact the local water department for help. Even if they cannot help locate the valve, the water department can shut the water off at the curb stop, allowing you or a hired plumber to install a main water shutoff valve for the home. You may also be able to shut off the water at the water meter itself.

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Common Main Shutoff Valve Locations

If you are unable to close the valve yourself, you can call and ask the company how to DIY or for them to send an emergency team to help you. Timothy Dale is a home repair expert and writer with over a decade of hands-on construction and home improvement experience. He is skilled in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional plumbing, electrical, carpentry, installation, renovations, and project management. Cleaning your gutters and making sure they’re functioning properly is one of the most essential tasks to do around the house. If you don’t already have one, it’s worth adding a backup battery to your sump pump so that it functions during power outages, which seem to go hand-in-hand with heavy rainstorms. Before you leave town, test your sump pump by filling the sump pit with water and making sure the pump is actually pumping out the water.

Instructions for Shutting Off Your Home’s Water Supply

In older homes, finding a main water shut-off valve within the home is a bit trickier, as they weren’t necessarily standard and regulated when the plumbing was installed. In fact, many likely never got upgraded orr they did have a main shut-off located somewhere in the yard, but it’s been covered by grass and lost to time. For instance, if you are replacing the faucet at the kitchen sink, then you can simply turn off the isolation valve located under the sink, instead of draining the water for the whole home. Washing machines also have shut off valves on the wall behind them. Just pull the washer forward slightly to access the cold and hot water shut off valves. If you have an external faucet, the main shut off valve will also be located very close to it.

Q. What if my main water valve is stuck?

Rotate the key until you feel it settle down onto the pin at the bottom of the curb stop shaft. Next, turn the curb key 90 degrees to turn off the water to the home. In some cases, you need to rotate the curb key several times to shut off the flow of water, similar to closing a gate valve. There will be 2 shut off valves under the kitchen sink (for cold and hot water lines).

The latest watering restrictions come as state water regulators, acting on an order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, directed local suppliers to activate drought plans and take steps to reduce water use. Under the latest conservation measures, use of sprinklers with water-conserving nozzles is permitted for up to 15 minutes, twice a day, on designated watering days, the utility said. The third phase of the city’s Emergency Water Conservation Plan Ordinance passed on a 13-0 vote, approving drought rules released by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power on May 10. Starting in June, millions of Angelenos will be limited to watering outdoors twice a week under new restrictions passed Wednesday by the Los Angeles City Council. You may also notice water dripping from the valve once you turn it off. In that case, use a wrench to tighten the valve’s packing nut and you will notice that the leaking will stop.

Is your water or power being shut off? You have options

This includes young children who may be home alone someday when catastrophe strikes. Additionally, it’s a good idea to put the plumber’s name and phone number near the shut-off valve. You may need to reach a plumber quickly if plumbing repairs are required. For instance, let’s say you've gone on vacation and your in-laws are house sitting when the water heater rusts out and starts flooding the floor.

Cutting the Water Supply to Your Property

In some cases, the main water line may be buried behind drywall, paneling, or even flooring. If you can't find the main water line in the basement or in the crawlspace, check for visible water lines near the water heater. Most main water shutoff valves are located inside the home, in the basement if it has one, just a few feet from where the main water line enters the house.

At the heart of the crisis is a worsening drought that has gripped California and the American Southwest. The extreme dryness has left Southern California with a dwindling water supply. For the first time ever, Southern California water officials will limit outdoor watering to just once a week in certain areas beginning June 1. If it creeps higher than normal without a good reason, investigate whether you have a leak somewhere.

How to Shut Off the Water to a Sink Faucet

On the other hand if you have a ball valve, move the lever so that it is perpendicular to the water pipe. Once in the basement, look for where the main water line enters the house. Either ways, the valve will be found very close to where the main water line enters the house which is on the wall facing the street.

Next, fully open the hot water and allow it to drain into the sink. Ideally, both the cold and hot water will stop flowing, although sometimes tank-style water heaters may continue to empty indefinitely. If you run into this problem, turn off the isolation valve at the top of the water heater to stop the flow of hot water. If you can’t spot the valve after circling the home a couple of times, it may be in a utility box in the yard. If you cannot locate the valve in the yard, there is a chance that the house doesn’t have a main shut-off valve, so you need to use the emergency curb stop valve to turn off the water to the house.

Here are some practical tips to cut your water use, plus a look at the big picture. Drought and climate change are forcing unprecedented water restrictions in parts of Southern California and millions of residents are wondering what happens now. With the news that Southern California officials are imposing tough water-use restrictions on about 6 million people, many of us are looking for practical ways to conserve. Water agencies and officials are working to get the message out on the importance of trees and keeping them alive during the drought.

Please note that this only applies to people who use water from the city. If you use water from a private well then the water pipe can enter the house from the rear or even side. You can also allow and adjust partial water flow by turning this valve some, but not all, of the way open or closed. There is no standard location for water shut-off valves within homes, but depending on how your home is built, there are a few simple ways to find it. While we hope that these plumbing emergencies don’t happen, it’s still a good idea to be prepared just in case.