Outstanding Tips and Home Safety Information
By observing a few simple emergency shut-off procedures, you can help protect you and your family during a natural disaster. When Mother Nature comes calling with anything other than sweet sunshine and balmy temperatures, you have cause for concern. Especially when “she” decides to send extreme situations like an earthquake, hurricane, tornado, and other such pleasantries.
So what’s a homeowner to do? Well, as your preferred plumbing, heating, and drain cleaning resource, Outstanding would like to offer a few ideas on how, when, and why to turn off your main water and power supplies.
Water Shut-Off Procedures
Following a natural disaster, conduct a visual inspection for leaks in your various plumbing systems. Also, check your water supply lines by turning water faucets on and off. If the cold water stops running, runs very slowly after a few seconds, or is dirty, you most likely have a leak.
In that event, you’ll want to shut off your main water supply. There are two basic means:
- Turn off the water where it enters the house. In many homes, there’s a valve just below your main outdoor faucet.
- Or, you can shut down your water supply by turning the valve attached to your water meter.
Water valves either have round or lever-type handles. With a lever, you only have to make a one-quarter turn to shut off your water. Round handles are typically harder to turn, so you may have to give it a few tries. To turn off your water, turn the handle clockwise. And if you don’t have a main water shut off, you should have one installed.
Power Shut-Off Procedures
In the immediate aftermath of a major disaster, do not turn lights on or off or use matches if you have gas heat! Instead, use flashlights to check for gas leaks to prevent an explosion or fire. If you do hear or smell a leak, shut off your gas valve and immediately open your doors and windows to vent the accumulated gas.
Also, if you hear sparking sounds or see or smell smoke, then you need to turn off your electrical power. If your house has fuses, you’ll find a knife switch or pull-out fuse that should be marked “Main.” If you have a circuit breaker, turn off the small breakers first, and then the “Main” breaker. But whatever you do, never remove the metal cover.
We hope these safety tips have helped you. If you would like more information, give Outstanding Plumbing a call anytime!