One of the most important plumbing devices in your home is your water main shut off.

Every home is equipped with a shut off valve that turns off all the water to the home. There are 2 main types of valves used for this. The older style is a gate valve, and it is the one you have to keep turning right to shut off. It’s comprised of a handle, a stem, packing material, and a valve body. Over time the sealing agent wears out and eventually they start to leak, or the stem gets seized in a position and they don’t function properly at all.

To tell if your shut off valve works, simply shut it off and run a tap. Once shut off the water only takes a few seconds to stop coming out of the tap. If you water keeps running, it’s likely that the valve is seized and no longer works.

If your main shut off valve is leaking, or doesn’t work, we suggest you have a plumber replace it.

If you’re unaware of where your main water shut off is, you’re taking a chance. In the event of a water leak, your main shut off is the only device that’s going to save it from going from bad to a disaster.

The next time you have a plumber at your home, ask them where it is, and have them check your water pressure too. I mention the water pressure because every home is equipped with a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV). A PRV is your homes 1^st line of defense from the city mains high pressure. The max safe limit for residential homes is 80 psi. It’s not uncommon that we come across failed PRV’s that don’t drop the pressure down to a safe limit. Having over 80 psi is an issue since too much pressure will wear down your pipes and fittings a lot faster. Not only that, but your water heater has a safety device built into it, which will expel steaming hot water if the pressure gets too high for its limits.

There are many more tips to keeping your homes plumbing and heating systems safe. Keep on the lookout for more blogs, and don’t forget to share!

“Norm’s Plumbing and Heating has been in Nanaimo for years. It has been, is, and always will be family owned and operated. We strive to provide you with the best service possible, while having competitive rates, and delivering you service in a fast timeframe. We also continue to support our community and give back through charitable donations and volunteering.”