On 9 Jul 2006 22:28:54 -0700, "Mulan" wrote:

Why do plumbers leave a tap on with a trickle of water when they turn
off the water to the house? Is it safe not to do that and leave the
water turned off all night?

It depends.

I am tired and want to sleep and the
basement is a horror story. I'd rather leave the water off and keep
working in the morning? The dripping open tap noise will drive me nuts

I hope you're asleep by now, but if not, put a piece of cloth under
the drip. If that is not enough, rubber band a piece of cloth to the
faucet so the drip runs down the cloth to the sink.

if I leave it all night. and I am not sure I got the temporary shut off
valves tight enough not to blow off under full pressure.

???

Anyone know?

I had no idea getting old galvanized pipe to unscrew was so hard, after
hours of wd 40, heat and hammer I finally got one loose enough that I
could cut everything off above it. Only two more to go.

My daughter came over and started laughing. She said even when she
tells people about her mother no one believes her. There I was on
Sunday with guests just left and I thought "I'll just try that beep
beep pipe one more time" so I was down the hole in the floor in linen
and silk hammering away when she arrived.