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Kirk (KC) Constable
03-27-2006, 9:12 AM
I had occasion Saturday to turn off the water at the meter..after I bumped the lawnmover into supply line and broke it. :mad: It hasn't moved in the eight years or so since I put it there...so I guess I've been lucky. :o

After an HOUR or so I managed to get the water turned off with an open end wrench and much bad language. Ran to the McCoys and got the two connectors and 12" of PVC to make the repair for like $1.12, and a water main turn-off thingy for $8.94. Proper tool for the job and all, took about 3 seconds to turn the water back on. :mad:

Hopefully, in seven or eight years if I need to turn the water off, I'll be able to FIND it again...but somehow I doubt it!

KC

Tyler Howell
03-27-2006, 9:57 AM
Kinda like pumbing repairs, always an adventure and test of problem solving skills:rolleyes: .
I agree about the right tool of the job. Potty mouth really helps too.
I've finally learned my lesson.;)

Jim Dunn
03-27-2006, 10:49 AM
Colorful language works for me and plumbing repairs and finishing too:)

Joe Pelonio
03-27-2006, 11:29 AM
Kirk,

I worked in the field at a water district back in the 70, and you'd be surprised how quickly many people can turn that water valve back on even when it's padlocked for non payment.

Anyway, you can look forward to a high next bill, sometimes you can get
them to "forgive" part of the excess if you show that you shut it off asap
and repaired it. I'd suggest calling them before the bill comes to ask, then again when you see how bad it is. Running full blast one hour is not as bad as a lot of them, where it breaks undeground without anyone noticing for a week, but your main can run a lot of water, more than a hose.

Stan Thigpen
03-27-2006, 11:30 AM
How is it that the water supply line is exposed to the elements (and lawnmowers)? Even here in the sunny south (B'ham Al.) water lines have to be below the frost line.

Ray Bersch
03-27-2006, 11:47 AM
Kirck, Consider installing a quality single lever ball valve in place of the stop valve that I assume you have. These valves operate almost flawlessly after many years of sitting just waiting for someone to turn off the water. The inexpensive stop valves used in homes are prone to corrosion freeze up and the rounded handles don't allow much leverage. The added cost is minimal.

Ray

Bill Lewis
03-27-2006, 12:14 PM
Kirk,
Thanks for the reminder. I forgot that I need to buy a "water key"

We've got about 650' of line from the meter to the house, and we're responsible for any leaks between us an that meter. I think if you're less than 100' form the main you can have the meter in the house. A water key is a good thing to have.

Joe Pelonio
03-27-2006, 2:48 PM
Kirk,
Thanks for the reminder. I forgot that I need to buy a "water key"

We've got about 650' of line from the meter to the house, and we're responsible for any leaks between us an that meter. I think if you're less than 100' form the main you can have the meter in the house. A water key is a good think to have.

I have to turn it off at the meter because the meter's outside but the
house shutoff valve is in the crawl space. I'd have to empty the front hall closet of stored xmas ornaments etc, lift the floor access door, and crawl
about 30 feet to turn it off. Great planning by the builder.

Jerry Clark
03-27-2006, 5:34 PM
When my son and I were working on his water line we had to shut it off at the main also-- guess what, it did not turn, it twisted off, :eek: good thing we did not have a major problem.--- the city had to repair the main shut off valve.:D
I will never install a gate valve in a water line again -- they only last a couple years and will need to be replaced- I use 1/4 turn ball valves in everything!:)

Dennis Peacock
03-27-2006, 5:52 PM
Man KC.....sounds like a lot of my plumbing adventures. I KNOW I have that tool somewhere.....I just can't seem to find it. :o :rolleyes:

Joe Pelonio
03-27-2006, 6:05 PM
Some of my best stories are of what people would do when their water was turned off. This was in Oakland, CA. mid '70's.I had a guy that broke the padlock, turned it back on, then wedged in concrete blocks and pieces of 2x4 so that it took me 1/2 hour to turn it back off. Then I intentionally
broke off the valve and put in an order for it to be plugged off at the main.

We had another guy that turned it back on and filled the meter box with
concrete. On that one after we killed it at the main, he attached a hose with female couplings on both ends to the next door neighbor's back yard faucet and stole water for two months until the neighbor called to complain about the bill being high and I went out to investigate.

Another one turned it back on and parked his car on the sidewalk over the meter. I called a guy on the street crew that I knew and had him put barricades and signs on both ends of the car indicating "construction - no parking tow away zone 7am-4pm". When I got there at 10am the car was still there so I called the police. They came out and went to the door with me to give them a chance to move the car before towing. When the guy answered the door they arrested him because he had warrants and they'd been looking for him.

Lee DeRaud
03-27-2006, 6:25 PM
How is it that the water supply line is exposed to the elements (and lawnmowers)? Even here in the sunny south (B'ham Al.) water lines have to be below the frost line.I suspect the chunk of Texas where KC lives, it's like here: the frost line is a couple miles up from ground level. With concrete slab foundations, it's customary to have the water line make its escape from underground outside the house perimeter and come into the house piping at about knee-level.

Tyler Howell
03-27-2006, 7:13 PM
[quote=Joe Pelonio]Some of my best stories are of what people would do when their water was turned off.

Joe,
ROTFLOL!:D

Frank Chaffee
03-27-2006, 7:35 PM
Kirk,
I like plumbing except when it becomes a realtime undertaking.
Good job.
Frank

P.S. I second Jerry Clark’s suggestion to install ball valves whenever possible. In my experience gate valves do not perform well when they are not regularly opened and closed. I keep the plumbing box stocked with some ball valves.

Frank Chaffee
03-27-2006, 7:49 PM
Some of my best stories are of what people would do when their water was turned off.
Hey Joe,
(no, I ain’t singing a song right now), if you want to collect really wild stories of what people will do for water read Frank Waters or travel India or Africa.
Frank

Kirk (KC) Constable
03-28-2006, 7:14 AM
I suspect the chunk of Texas where KC lives, it's like here: the frost line is a couple miles up from ground level. With concrete slab foundations, it's customary to have the water line make its escape from underground outside the house perimeter and come into the house piping at about knee-level.

Similar...pier and beam house...so the line has come 'up' somewhere.