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?