“Where is My Water Main?”
If you have a plumbing emergency in your home, and need to shut down the water entirely, you will want to know where the main shut off valve is located. In most homes, the water main line comes into the front of the house in the basement level, and will be a bulky looking valve that may have a meter on it. In areas without basements, water main valves are typically located by the water heaters, or under the kitchen sinks, (sometimes located in a crawl space). Wherever it is, as a homeowner you should know exactly where the main valve is, and make sure it is easily accessible in the event of an emergency.
The water main is the gate that prevents water from flowing into your homes plumbing system and appliances connected to water. While it is important to know where it is inside the home to terminate the water supply if needed, sometimes problems with the main water line occur outside of the home. The main water line comes from the main water source, which in most cases is a city or town water line. Each property has a connection running from the main line in the street, to the water main in the home.
Sometimes the ground may shift, roots may grow, and changes to the earth out of anyone’s control can cause a water line to break or crack. If this happens, you will experience extremely low water pressure throughout the entire home. You also may be able to see pooling of water or flowing water near the street or in your yard. If this occurs, call us immediately.