Glad I'm not camping right now....

[carlkeigley]

Wife came in a while ago and said she heard water gushing
in the bathroom. I got my coat and shoes on, found a flashlight
and checked under the house. Sure enough, water gushing under
the bathroom sinks. Looks like regulator has been malfunctioning
and excessive pressure has ruptured a line. Luckily the water in
the swimming pool was not frozen too solid so we could break through
and get enough water for flushing for us and the m-I-l.

We've been expecting the plumber since the first of last week.
Guess we'll have to build a fire under them tomorrow.

Bad as being without water is, I'm thankful we're home and was able
to shut off the well. Would like to be camping, but this is another
time we're glad we are home.

[MyronL]

Ouch! I hate when that happens. Had a similar water problem the second month here in the new house. Wasn't under the house though, since they build them on slabs here in The Land of Enchantment. My problem was with an unexpected hard freeze and the drip hose valve conflagrigation the previous owner installed... that, and I had no idea where the shut-off valve was. Turns out there was none. Not in the house, anyway. Tom our neighbor finally directed me to the mini-manhole cover for the house, out beside the street. He told me out here they don't believe in in-house water shut-off valves.

Oh, yeah... then he showed me the hidden cistern buried down beside that gang of valves.

[Roger C H]

Originally Posted by Myron Leski

... He told me out here they don't believe in in-house water shut-off valves.

Neither do they here in the Great Pacific NorthWet.

Thanks for reminding me. I used to shut off the water at the road when leaving for any length of time, but have gotten out of the habit. I need to re-establish that habit.

[Donna D.]

Many years ago, my dear mother suggested that I turn off the valves to the washing maching, toilets, sinks and the dishwasher if I was going to be gone for long. Hoses do wear out and by time the neighbors see water running out windows or under the garage door... it's too late! If I was going to be gone for a [insert days here], I'd certainly consider shutting off the main. YMMV

[accrete]

I'm glad the timing worked out on this mishap Carl. As you stated it could have been much worse had you been out enjoying the outdoors.

Related to water...Just to play it safe, Cari and i always turn off the water to the home-on-wheels when we leave town on an adventure.

Hope all goes well on the repairs.
Thom

[Byron Kinnaman]

When I was on a well I turned off the pump when we left expect once, we were gone for about 5 days. When we got home no water, check the pump circuit breakers, both tripped, reset, tripped, reset again tripped. Oh oh, time to pull the pump and put in a new one.
Now that we're in town there a shut off at the street, two shut offs actually. There's the city shut off that requires a tool, then the meter, then a faucet handle for me to shut off the water.
Last year for our winter trip I think I forgot about it, the year before I couldn't get the cover off to get at the shut off. Apparently there was enough moisture to get around the lip of the cover and it froze solid.
I gotta remember to get it shut off this year.

[Ron F]

'Tough time to get a plumber, what with Thanksgiving and it being hunting season.

[Darrell in Al]

Back when I had a money pit (house) The water line leading in to house busted about the time I went away for awhile, I got home to 1-2 inches of water in yard.. I was on high dollar city water.. dug out line (soil washed out just "10 ft concrete walkway") repaired line went to city water office to inform them of the busted line. The city was nice enough to not charge me the sewage fee.... leak was more water than I used in over 2 years. the first one I talked to asked if I had put in a large swimming pool. . without going through them for the permits. Hmmm has house for 11 years using 1200 gal water or less a month, all of sudden as much to fill an Olympic size pool plus. A 1 inch line going full tilt for over week(s) ???
Sorry for your busted line.
Did I mention I don't miss my house, just my garage and shop.

[Jim Bennett]

Interesting that some of you say you shut off at the street/property line. Here that curbstop is considered City property, and you are no supposed to touch it. You need a special key anyway. Even plumbers are supposed to request the City shut it off if they need. All homes do have a shut-off immediately inside the house that the homeowner can shut off. We just close the valves to the washer (if we remember)

[MyronL]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

All homes do have a shut-off immediately inside the house that the homeowner can shut off. (if we remember)

That's also what I was used to when I lived on the great-mid-Atlantic-east coast. The day here, when my water exploded I was determined to install an in-house shut-off myself, because it certainly makes sense to be able to isolate specific faucets without shutting down the entire house. But I could not even find where the water line from the street entered the building!

Still haven't found it. (What is up with that!)

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

Neither do they here in the Great Pacific NorthWet.

Thanks for reminding me. I used to shut off the water at the road when leaving for any length of time, but have gotten out of the habit. I need to re-establish that habit.

Here they do - homes built to current code require a shut off valve on the street main as well one inside the house right at the point the main enters the house. They also require a large water regulator on the outside water main as well as a smaller one just inside the house. I only discovered all that when I did a minor renovation on my home about 10 years ago. My home didnt have the outside regulator and the 45 year old inside shut off that was there was apparently to far in the home (about 3' down the line) from where the main entered the house, to be considered effective.

[Jack L]

It's a good idea to turn off the gas or electric to your water heater too. A water heater can expolde if it is not completely filled with water. Also you'll save some energy costs.

[carlkeigley]

Grand news. Plumber came first thing this morning.
I left for a haircut and when I came back, everyone
was gone and water was back on line. Seems a fitting
had corroded and broke away from where it was coming
out under the house. Took less than three hours. They
wouldn't bill us because with the other work, they didn't
know what their parts cost. They charge $70 an hour, so
labor is at $200 or less. So I'm satisfied I will get an honest
bill. Not like the plumbers that we used before that really
gouged us.

Nice to have a hot shower again.......lol. Especially after a hair cut.

[carlkeigley]

Three units run off our well. Us, mother in law, and church.
I have shut offs for the m-i-l and one for the church. Guess
I need to add a new shut off for us. There is one, but it's hard
to reach under the house. That's why I used the main valve in
the well. Everybody lost their water...........LOL

[MyronL]

Special key, opens street side mini-manhole cover--that's what we got. This is very different from what I grew up with in the city. That big bear of an old house was an urban aircraft carrier, had three decks above the water line for the people, one deck below it for the power plant and where all water etc entered from the street and could be controlled. If the second floor tenants had a busted pipe I could repair it and keep water flowing to the other decks (er, floors).

[Pam Garlow]

Originally Posted by carlkeigley

Wife came in a while ago and said she heard water gushing
in the bathroom. I got my coat and shoes on, found a flashlight
and checked under the house. Sure enough, water gushing under
the bathroom sinks. Looks like regulator has been malfunctioning
and excessive pressure has ruptured a line. Luckily the water in
the swimming pool was not frozen too solid so we could break through
and get enough water for flushing for us and the m-I-l.

We've been expecting the plumber since the first of last week.
Guess we'll have to build a fire under them tomorrow.

Bad as being without water is, I'm thankful we're home and was able
to shut off the well. Would like to be camping, but this is another
time we're glad we are home.

Looks like Thanksgiving will be cold and snowy for a lot of people. Glad to hear you were able to catch that leak before it ran too long. What an icy mess you might have come back to if you'd been gone!