Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

The only place I have ever had a second shut-off valve at the house
was when we had a basement. None of the other houses had one,
including the one we are living in now.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

just wondering....does 'modular community' = trailer park???
"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message
...
The only place I have ever had a second shut-off valve at the house
was when we had a basement. None of the other houses had one,
including the one we are living in now.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

"frank1492" wrote in message
...
Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

Didn't think my house had a water shut off valve either, but it does.

Mine is located in front of my house, in a well about a foot down in the
ground.
It was a devil to find because it was grown over with flowers and plants.

A local plumber told me all the shut off valves here are below ground
because of the freezing weather.

Could yours be underground also?

It may be like in Eastern NC, where some new communities are set up and
zoned strictly for modular construction housing, to keep the community
consistent. I know of one where the houses are 2 story, 170,000 range, half
acre lots, and that isn't a cheap home around here. A stock 3 bedroom brick
ranch around here can be had for, say, 75 to 150 K, depending on location,
of course. I just bought another brick ranch in rural farm country, and it
has water cutoff at the meter enclosure at the street only.

RJ

" wrote in message
...
just wondering....does 'modular community' = trailer park???
"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message
...
The only place I have ever had a second shut-off valve at the house
was when we had a basement. None of the other houses had one,
including the one we are living in now.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

if a home owner got a chance to sit down with the builder and the
plumber before they built his house they would definitely agree that a
cut off valve needs to be installed in the line just inside the house
where the water line comes in...if you buy your house from a huge
house construction corporation...taking bids from plumbers to work for
them they cut out the little "frills" like cut off valves inside the
house...you can go to the street and open the meter box and turn the
valve off...in zero degree weather or pouring down rain...

It's very bad to remain an ignorant person while dealing with
contractors...

Bill

On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem arises. The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably have been $20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You can be sure I'd
put one in.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 13:22:51 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem arises. The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably have been $20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You can be sure I'd
put one in.


I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.

"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message

I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.


It is not a big deal if everything works OK. When you have to do a repair
at night, in the cold, in the rain or when something lets lose, finding that
shut-off tool can take an agonizingly long time. I want to be able to do it
quickly, from inside the house.

Many thanks for all your replies! The house does
have a basement.
We will look for a shut-off just outside the house
but I am pretty sure none exists.
I am still surprised that so few newer houses have
an in-house main shutoff valve. What if a catastrophic
leak were to develop? The basement could fill up before
the water company arrived. And how about going away
for a prolonged period? Also if I want to do a little plumbing
project on a Sunday afternoon, I have to call the water
company, then get them back?
Life is a great teacher. I always think I understand the
world pretty well until I run into stuff like this...
Frank






On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

I've seen worse than no shutoff inside.

I recently moved from a townhouse I rented where the entire unit, 4
townhouses, shared a single shutoff.
Working on plumbing was a nightmare as you had to let everyone know you were
going to shut the water off and sometimes neighbors would get irate about
it. Fortunately it only came up twice during my time there.

ml

Why was I of the impression that homeowners were not supposed
to tamper with the town's valves? (The house is in CT.) We do know
where the valve is, and it is accessible. Are keys readily available
to deal with these?







On Sun, 15 May 2005 06:49:44 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2005 13:22:51 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem arises. The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably have been $20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You can be sure I'd
put one in.


I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.

On 15-May-2005, frank1492 wrote:

Also if I want to do a little plumbing
project on a Sunday afternoon, I have to call the water
company, then get them back?

I don't know what your streetside shutoff valve is like but mine is easily
operated by hand. The valve just has a lever type handle. No tools needed.
Ok the first time I used it it was a bit tough to get moving but elbow
grease did the job. I just stick a big screwdriver in the slot in the
concrete plug and lever it up and out, shut off/turn on the valve and put
the concrete plug back. Exactly what the people from the water company
would do.

ml

That is another thing that worries me. The street valve is in an odd
location, almost exactly on the property line bewteen the two
houses!
No lever here, seem to recall a recessed hex, but will have
to look again..





On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:58:38 GMT, wrote:

I've seen worse than no shutoff inside.

I recently moved from a townhouse I rented where the entire unit, 4
townhouses, shared a single shutoff.
Working on plumbing was a nightmare as you had to let everyone know you were
going to shut the water off and sometimes neighbors would get irate about
it. Fortunately it only came up twice during my time there.

ml

On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:53:29 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Many thanks for all your replies! The house does
have a basement.
We will look for a shut-off just outside the house
but I am pretty sure none exists.
I am still surprised that so few newer houses have
an in-house main shutoff valve. What if a catastrophic
leak were to develop? The basement could fill up before
the water company arrived. And how about going away
for a prolonged period? Also if I want to do a little plumbing
project on a Sunday afternoon, I have to call the water
company, then get them back?
Life is a great teacher. I always think I understand the
world pretty well until I run into stuff like this...
Frank

When you have a basement the shut-off valve is typically inside the
house, not outside. Look for it on a wall.

There is none.




On Sun, 15 May 2005 09:34:30 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:53:29 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Many thanks for all your replies! The house does
have a basement.
We will look for a shut-off just outside the house
but I am pretty sure none exists.
I am still surprised that so few newer houses have
an in-house main shutoff valve. What if a catastrophic
leak were to develop? The basement could fill up before
the water company arrived. And how about going away
for a prolonged period? Also if I want to do a little plumbing
project on a Sunday afternoon, I have to call the water
company, then get them back?
Life is a great teacher. I always think I understand the
world pretty well until I run into stuff like this...
Frank

When you have a basement the shut-off valve is typically inside the
house, not outside. Look for it on a wall.

"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 May 2005 13:22:51 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem arises.
The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably have been
$20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You can be sure
I'd
put one in.


I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.

Call your local water company and find out who would be required to pay the
cost of repairs if the valve at the street broke while you were turning it
off or on.

The local plumbers will not even touch that valve unless it's an absolute
emergency and I agree in writing to pay the cost, instead of them, if
something happens with that valve when they're working with it. They makes
an appointment with the city water department to turn the water off and on.
The city water department also recommends this procedure on each month's
water bill.

How are you billed for water used? You must have some sort of water meter.
Maybe the cutoff valve is located on the supply side of the meter????? It
could even look like a large allen head fitting, that you insert the allen
wrench in to turn off.

"frank1492" wrote in message
...
Many thanks for all your replies! The house does
have a basement.
We will look for a shut-off just outside the house
but I am pretty sure none exists.
I am still surprised that so few newer houses have
an in-house main shutoff valve. What if a catastrophic
leak were to develop? The basement could fill up before
the water company arrived. And how about going away
for a prolonged period? Also if I want to do a little plumbing
project on a Sunday afternoon, I have to call the water
company, then get them back?
Life is a great teacher. I always think I understand the
world pretty well until I run into stuff like this...
Frank






On Sun, 15 May 2005 02:36:19 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Some friends have recently acquired a new house in a modular
community. I was surprised to find that the only way to shut off the
water supply to the house is from the street! All the houses on the
street are set up the same way!
My question is this: Is this common practice? And, if so, is the
only reason it is done is to save 10 bucks on a valve?
Help much appreciated.
Frank

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message

I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.



It is not a big deal if everything works OK. When you have to do a repair
at night, in the cold, in the rain or when something lets lose, finding that
shut-off tool can take an agonizingly long time. I want to be able to do it
quickly, from inside the house.



Not if the shut off valve is located at the far
end of the crawl space and access is through a
hatch in the floor of a closet with about a
zillion things piled on it, like at my house.
I've never turned the inside house valve off,
always used the valve at the street. Besides it
only requires a Crescent wrench. Now if I needed
a special wrench, I would paint the handle RED and
would hang it by the garage door and always
replace it whenever I used it. Course that would
keep some idiot child or spouse from moving it,
but if I had an idiot child or idiot spouse (or an
idiot me) I would buy a second wrench and hide it
in a special place that I would not likely forget.

What I can't imagine is having a flood from a
broken pipe or valve and waiting for the water
company to come turn the water off.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 13:57:13 -0500, wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2005 06:49:44 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2005 13:22:51 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem arises. The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably have been $20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You can be sure I'd
put one in.


I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.


Try doing it quickly when a pipe breaks in your house and it's below
zero outside with 3 feet of snow over the meter box. I'd shut the
thing off NOW and spend the $10 for a valve and install it whereever
the water enters the house.

Actually, I can turn off everything except the outside faucets which
are freeze-proof. The water from the meter goes first to our water
softener which feeds all house faucets. I can turn it off there. Not
perfect, but better than nothing.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:13:46 -0500, "Hound Dog"
wrote:


"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message

I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.

Call your local water company and find out who would be required to pay the
cost of repairs if the valve at the street broke while you were turning it
off or on.

The local plumbers will not even touch that valve unless it's an absolute
emergency and I agree in writing to pay the cost, instead of them, if
something happens with that valve when they're working with it. They makes
an appointment with the city water department to turn the water off and on.
The city water department also recommends this procedure on each month's
water bill.


There is one valve before the water meter. That's the city's
responsibility. There is another valve after the water meter along
with a pressure regulator. That's my responsibility. I own
everything after the meter. Everything is in the same underground
vault.

Ask for a water shut off key at ACE, Home Depot, Lowe's, a local
plumbing shop, etc.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"frank1492" wrote in message
...
Why was I of the impression that homeowners were not supposed
to tamper with the town's valves? (The house is in CT.) We do
know
where the valve is, and it is accessible. Are keys readily
available
to deal with these?







On Sun, 15 May 2005 06:49:44 -0700, Dick LeadWinger wrote:

On Sun, 15 May 2005 13:22:51 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"

wrote:


"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves
except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility
company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so
lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem
arises. The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably
have been $20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You
can be sure I'd
put one in.


I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler
shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just
pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off.
Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.

In article ,
says...

"JimL" wrote in message
None of the 5000 homes in my division have shutfoff valves except at
the street water meter. 1980 to 2005.

Many of the communities require calling the city utility company to
shut off the water. Then they started charging a fee, so lots of
people like yourself installed their own shutoff.

I just cannot imagine NOT having one when an emergency problem arises. The
cost of installing one when the house was build would probably have been $20
or so. That puts $100,000 in the hands of the builder. You can be sure I'd
put one in.


It is not 100k in the hands of the builders, it is 100K plus markup
that was not passed on to the buyers.

FWIW in many parts of the USA the practical place to install the
cut off is at the street, just past the water meter. We do not
have basements (too expensive), meters are installed at the street
\property line (the only place the water company will install
them).

"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:13:46 -0500, "Hound Dog"
wrote:


"Dick" LeadWinger wrote in message

I don't see it as any big deal. I bought a long sprinkler shut-off
tool from Home Depot. If I need to turn off the water, I just pop off
the meter box cover near the street and turn the water off. Would
take me just as long if the shut-off were next to the house.

Call your local water company and find out who would be required to pay
the
cost of repairs if the valve at the street broke while you were turning
it
off or on.

The local plumbers will not even touch that valve unless it's an absolute
emergency and I agree in writing to pay the cost, instead of them, if
something happens with that valve when they're working with it. They
makes
an appointment with the city water department to turn the water off and
on.
The city water department also recommends this procedure on each month's
water bill.


There is one valve before the water meter. That's the city's
responsibility. There is another valve after the water meter along
with a pressure regulator. That's my responsibility. I own
everything after the meter. Everything is in the same underground
vault.

Don't be too sure. Had the city shut off the main in the street so that my
house shut off valve could be replaced. Guess what? The street-to-valve
extension shaft snapped in two. City gets Back hoe--dig up street--replace
extension shaft--fill hole--hot top over dug up street.------- Now, you
don't want to get involved in all of that do you?
MLD

On Mon, 16 May 2005 18:50:10 GMT, "MLD" wrote:


Don't be too sure. Had the city shut off the main in the street so that my
house shut off valve could be replaced. Guess what? The street-to-valve
extension shaft snapped in two. City gets Back hoe--dig up street--replace
extension shaft--fill hole--hot top over dug up street.------- Now, you
don't want to get involved in all of that do you?
MLD


No, and I wouldn't. If the city breaks it, the city fixes it.
Anyway, if your shutoff valve is defective, what choices do you really
have? Got to shut it off somewhere.

On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:59:11 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Why was I of the impression that homeowners were not supposed
to tamper with the town's valves? (The house is in CT.) We do know
where the valve is, and it is accessible. Are keys readily available
to deal with these?

yes keys are available to deal with water main cut off valves...go to
the Home Depot hand tool department and ask for a "Crescent Wrench" or
any other brand of "Adjustable Wrench"...stick it down in your water
meter box and turn the water off.

Bill

"Bill" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 May 2005 15:59:11 GMT, frank1492
wrote:

Why was I of the impression that homeowners were not supposed
to tamper with the town's valves? (The house is in CT.) We do know
where the valve is, and it is accessible. Are keys readily available
to deal with these?

yes keys are available to deal with water main cut off valves...go to
the Home Depot hand tool department and ask for a "Crescent Wrench" or
any other brand of "Adjustable Wrench"...stick it down in your water
meter box and turn the water off.

Bill


Not that simple. Where do you live? The poster is in CT. Our water mains
are 48" or deeper. That takes a mighty long arm to reach down that far with
an adjustable. I'd not be surprised to find them even deeper as you go
farther north.