wrote in message
...


I bought a house this month and have been unable to locate a main water
shut
off other than the one in the meter (under the sidewalk) that takes a
special
tool.

I've followed directions from my home inspector and looked in entrance to
the
crawlspace, master bathroom, all around outdoors and in the converted
garage..
no luck. The house was built in 1973. The meter in the sidewalk is on
the side
of the house that the master bathroom is on and opposite the side where
the
converted garage is. I'm thinking this house does not have a shut off.

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I dread
to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.

Can anyone offer other suggestions as to where the shut off might be?

It's right over there, you dumb SOB!!!

If you cannot find the shut off just buy the special tool.

btw I just use two 12" adjustable wrenches not special tool required

Bob

If you cannot find the shut off just buy the special tool.

btw I just use two 12" adjustable wrenches, no special tool required

Bob

If you actually have no shut off, other than the one that takes a special
tool, it is easy enough to put one in.

I am no plumber, but have put in two, and can do it in under an hour;
assuming the other shut-off is tight.

If you do that, check your water pressure first and see if you also need a
pressure regular installed (or replaced).

wrote in message
...


I bought a house this month and have been unable to locate a main water
shut
off other than the one in the meter (under the sidewalk) that takes a
special
tool.

I've followed directions from my home inspector and looked in entrance to
the
crawlspace, master bathroom, all around outdoors and in the converted
garage..
no luck. The house was built in 1973. The meter in the sidewalk is on
the side
of the house that the master bathroom is on and opposite the side where
the
converted garage is. I'm thinking this house does not have a shut off.

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I dread
to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.

Can anyone offer other suggestions as to where the shut off might be?
Contacting the previous homeowner is pretty much out of the question.


The shutoff valve is right where the water line enters the house.

I bought a house this month and have been unable to locate a main water
shut
off other than the one in the meter (under the sidewalk) that takes a
special
tool.
The tool, often made of re-bar with a slot-head, needed to shut off the
water at the meter is cheap and readily available at hardware stores. An
ordinary adjustable wrench will also work, just turn it 90 degrees to the
pipe direction, to turn it off. There may also be a shut off valve where the
service pipe enters the house.. if you can find that. The valve should be
just outside the wall of the house.

In alt.home.repair on Sat, 26 Feb 2005 19:36:25 -0800
posted:



I bought a house this month and have been unable to locate a main water shut
off other than the one in the meter (under the sidewalk) that takes a special
tool.

I've followed directions from my home inspector and looked in entrance to the
crawlspace, master bathroom, all around outdoors and in the converted garage..
no luck. The house was built in 1973. The meter in the sidewalk is on the side
of the house that the master bathroom is on and opposite the side where the
converted garage is. I'm thinking this house does not have a shut off. \

If you haven't found the shutoff, have you found the pipe? You don't
say what you *have* found. The shutoff is between the water heater
and the outside of the house. Mine is behind the warddrobe I put in
the basement, and 3 or 4 feet below the ceiling.

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I dread to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.

Can anyone offer other suggestions as to where the shut off might be?
Contacting the previous homeowner is pretty much out of the question.


Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

wrote:


I bought a house this month and have been unable to locate a main water shut
off other than the one in the meter (under the sidewalk) that takes a special
tool.

I've followed directions from my home inspector and looked in entrance to the
crawlspace, master bathroom, all around outdoors and in the converted garage..
no luck. The house was built in 1973. The meter in the sidewalk is on the side
of the house that the master bathroom is on and opposite the side where the
converted garage is. I'm thinking this house does not have a shut off.

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I dread to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.

Can anyone offer other suggestions as to where the shut off might be?
Contacting the previous homeowner is pretty much out of the question.

It may be near and resemble the faucet to which you connect a garden
hose. That's where I finally found mine.
Paul in San Francisco

wrote:


I bought a house this month and have been unable to locate a main water shut
off other than the one in the meter (under the sidewalk) that takes a special
tool.

I've followed directions from my home inspector and looked in entrance to the
crawlspace, master bathroom, all around outdoors and in the converted garage..
no luck. The house was built in 1973. The meter in the sidewalk is on the side
of the house that the master bathroom is on and opposite the side where the
converted garage is. I'm thinking this house does not have a shut off.

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I dread to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.

Can anyone offer other suggestions as to where the shut off might be?
Contacting the previous homeowner is pretty much out of the question.

Your local building department might have construction drawings for the
original building permit, which might show where the shutoff is. We
live in a condo, and three shutoffs are under pavers in the atrium. The
fourth is under the philodendron next to the walk by the front door.
Easy to find and dig up when the washer hose bursts and the house is
flooding )

It's possible that samfred is right, and that there's no water shutoff
inside the house. There was none in our 1888 house when we bought it
33 years ago. The water pipe came in where the cellar wall & floor
met, went through the meter, and then headed for the various water
using things (heater, furnace, washer, etc.) We paid a plumber to
install one in 1975.

"Your local building department might have construction drawings for
the
original building permit, which might show where the shutoff is. "

How many building plans for a house would show that level of detail?
Usually, this is up to the plumber doing the work. And why even
bother? It's not rocket science you know. In a new house it should
be very easy to just follow the cold water pipe and see if there is a
valve or not.

wrote in message
...

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I dread
to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.


You may be overestimating what it will cost to get the valve installed.
Unless your pipes are in an unusual configuration where they enter your
house, or are particularly inaccessible, you are looking at less than one
hour's labor for a plumber plus any trip fees, plus the cost of the valve.
That should be well under $100 in most places. For something as important
as a main water shut-off valve, it is more than worth the price.

By the way, I commend you for even looking for the valve. Too many people
buy houses and don't bother to find the important utilities until a problem
occurs. Don't forget your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers...

C.

PS: If you have a neighbor who is experienced with such things (this is not
a high-skill task), you might get off with the price of a pizza and the
valve.

"Collin" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
...

How much will it cost to have a plumber come out and install one.. I
dread
to
think. But I will have it done if I can not find a shut off.


You may be overestimating what it will cost to get the valve installed.
Unless your pipes are in an unusual configuration where they enter your
house, or are particularly inaccessible, you are looking at less than one
hour's labor for a plumber plus any trip fees, plus the cost of the valve.
That should be well under $100 in most places. For something as important
as a main water shut-off valve, it is more than worth the price.

Wish I knew a plumber who would come out and do a little work for a hundred
bucks.

Kathy Feb 27, 1:37 pm show options
Newsgroups: alt.home.repair
From: "Kathy" - Find messages by this author
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 16:37:47 -0500
Local: Sun, Feb 27 2005 1:37 pm

Wish I knew a plumber who would come out and do a little work for a
hundred
bucks.



How little?

cheers
Bob

"Kathy" wrote in message
...

Wish I knew a plumber who would come out and do a little work for a
hundred
bucks.


We've got plenty of them. The best one in town just charged me $60 to fix a
pipe under my kitchen sink. That was more work than it would take to
install a main cutoff valve. I would have done the work myself if it wasn't
so affordable.

There are some benefits to living in a small town. Not many, but some.

C.

Collin wrote:
....
There are some benefits to living in a small town. Not many, but some.

I'd reverse that, myself...

Hey! You're the Kathy the cute blond that used to live next door to me
a long time ago, that I got so attached to, but later who moved to LA
and broke my heart?

No matter, wadda ya need done?