Water shut off valves
 

How do I use the water shut off valves which are under the sinks, at the water source for the toilets, the refrigerator, etc? Turning those white knobs left to right or right to left seems to do nothing. I have tried to pull out the knobs towards me but they won't budge and I'm afraid of breaking something. I have to do a plumbing repair to my kitchen faucet and I really don't want to have to turn off the main water valve for the whole house. How do these interior shut off valves work? Thanks

They're a pull/push valve. I believe you pull them out to turn them off.

All three valves under the kitchen sink (hot, cold and dishwasher) actually worked fine and our repair is now done.

I still don't know why we can't budge the valves for either toilet water supplies. The entire supply pipes move when we pull on the valves to close them. We gave up with the toilet valves.

Valves need to be exercised often so they don't get frozen in position.


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I exercise my valves every morning!:laugh:

Our toilet valves have been couch potatoes. Anyone know how to unfreeze the valves without breaking them or the pipe?

I just knew someone was going to say that! LOL.

Maybe WD-40 or silicon spray - check to see if they are recommended for plastic.


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Don't Feel Bad
 

After being away from the home for a month-

I looked at those valves and said hmmm. Do I push or pull to allow water.

Wife verified in a while I went the wrong way! Something about Gosh Darn it Herv the toilet won't flush!

Opps!

anyone who doesn't switch out those pieces of you-know-what for the tried and true shutoff valves is asking for trouble.

It cost me about $125 for a guy to come out and fix the ice maker when we got back in town a few winters ago - involved opening the plastic push/pull valve the right way (whatever that may be) to open the line.


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Actually, by looking closer at the valve (with a flashlight), my husband was able to read instructions printed right on the valve...it says "Pull to Close". Not so easy when the valve is frozen in the open position, though.

Our little villa has 11 of those valves, including the hot and cold water supplies for the laundry tub in the garage. That's quite a few valves to change out. Have you seen these shut off valves fail and wind up with a flood in the house?

Was there anything wrong with the valve or was it just frozen in the closed position? Was the plumber able to unfreeze it or did he replace the valve? Thanks.

Do the homes here in TV have any copper plumbing pipes or is everything PVC? I ask this because I'm realizing now that the water supply pipe to the toilets is PVC...not copper. Are these pipes in the slabs?

All the new homes are pvc.

......and yes, a number of the pipes will be under the slabs.

Bill :)

You would think The Villages would tell you about the maintenance on those valves??? Might want to call the "Home Warranty Dept" for help also. I think I will check mine also. :super:

I was hoping to hear whether to push or pull to shut off??!!

This is a component TV developer should not be very proud to have in his "quality" built homes. Good for profit. Not so good for application by owners! They are not senior friendly at all.

btk

FWIW........here's a link to info, etc. on the push-pull shut offs:

Flow tite valves

(credit goes to BOMBERO for posting this link in a different thread from earlier this year)

States they have a 10 year warranty.....and that it covers material AND labor.

Bill :)

Bill,
Wish I knew of the 10 year warranty last year. One of the ones under the kitchen sink was leaking and I had to have it replaced. Luckily, we bought a pre-owned that had a home warranty that covered the repair. Thanks for the info ... very useful if it happens again.

Yep - I'm hanging onto that info as well. No problem with our valves......yet! :D

Bill :)

Nothing wrong with the valve, I just didn't know if it was open or closed and it was in a clear tubing line and I couldn't tell if the line had water in it or not and thought it was an issue with the ice maker not the water supply.

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The water lines and drains are buried under the slabs, not in the concrete. They are installed before the slab is poured.

Good point, mulligan! My bad - will correct my earlier post. Thanks!

Bill :)

It says on the round part of the valve to PULL to turn off the water. A flashlight helps to read what it says. A magnifying glass may help too.

I believe most of us had to scratch our heads and wonder how and if them water valves open & close. We were also perplexed by the bathtub and how to turn on the shower? We kept trying to pull out the middle handle for hot & cold water. Didn't notice for shower it was at the end of the spout. We changed that out with the good old knob on top before any of our guest had a chance to break off the water supply handle....as we almost did. :cus:

Thank you. I didn't realize that. My concern is if there is a leak somewhere in the middle of the house. The slab would still have to be opened up to get to the leak. Yes?

Yep!

Bill :)

We had that happen to us in CA. Our insurance company wouldn't permit them to cut the slab to fix the problem. They were concerned about future problems with the slab after it was cut open. Instead they had them re-route the line up and through the attic and down to each room with water supply. It was more expensive for the insurance company, but better for us.