Town and Country Plumbing

Emergency Shut-Off and Gate Valves

Emergency shut-off valves are those little valves beneath your sinks and toilets that supply water to the fixtures. They are an important component to your plumbing system as they give you the ability to shut water off to a leaking faucet or drain until repair can be made.

Because these valves are not used frequently, we find many times they are extremely hard to turn, or are “frozen” in the open position. Or sometimes they can be closed and become “frozen” in the closed position when you try to re-open them. It is not uncommon to find older homes with no working emergency shut-off valves whatsoever.
 
A similar problem is the valves that control the water supply at the house service and water heater. Valves called “gate” valves were commonly used (and in some areas still are) for these purposes. They are valves with a round handle and a “stem” that pushes a “gate” down into the valve to close, or raises it to open.
 
Our corrosive water quality in San Diego County plays havoc with these types of valves and it’s only a matter of time until the stem deteriorates and the valve becomes frozen in whatever position that is in when this occurs. A better valve to use is a “full port” ball valve. Ball valves work by using a lever handle that rotates a ball inside the faucet ¼ turn and has no “stem.” A recent innovation is ball valve angle stops and washing machine valves.
 
Once you’ve converted your system to ball valves, it is simple and easy to shut water off and on at various fixtures with a simple ¼ turn of the valve with the fingertips. If you’ve ever tried to shut off a hot water angle stop, found it “frozen,” ran to the water heater and found a “frozen” gate valve, gone to the water service valve and found it “frozen,” located the water meter and found a valve that could only be closed with a “meter key” device, you’ve probably had an opportunity to meet one of your friendly local firemen.

 

SERVING YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS

IN NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTY SINCE 1970

Town & Country Plumbing Repair

 

Locations to serve you

 

Carlsbad, Del Mar, Escondido, Vista, Fallbrook, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Oceanside, Solana Beach, San Marcos,  Mira Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, Scripps Ranch, Sabre Springs, Carmel Mountain, Rainbow, Bonsall, Valley Center, Carmel Valley. Santa Luz, Cardiff, and Olivenhain

CALL US NOW AT THESE CONVENIENT NUMBERS:

San Marcos  Vista (760) 744-8672	Rancho Bernardo  Poway Penasquitos (858) 484-7331	Fallbrook  Bonsall (760) 728-4505
Rancho Santa Fe  Del Mar  Solana Beach (858)755-7529	Mira Mesa  Miramar Scripps Ranch (858) 578-7508	Carlsbad  Oceanside (760) 438-4334
		Escondido  Valley Center (760) 745-0337