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Thread Number: 6409
Who turns off their water valves?? |
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Post# 129506 , Reply# 1 5/17/2006 at 22:22 (6,546 days old) by appnut  (TX) |
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Post# 129508 , Reply# 2 5/17/2006 at 22:28 (6,546 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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The valves for my wahser are readily accessible just above the control panel. I turn them off after a laundry day is over. I do this because of safety - I don't want my home to be flooded, even though the washer is on the first floor. It's in the middle of the home, on the same level as the rest of the rooms, and a flood would ruin a lot of varnished hardwood flooring in adjacent rooms. The washer does have stainless braided hoses, which is an extra measure of protection. | ||
| Post# 129512 , Reply# 4 5/17/2006 at 22:33 (6,546 days old) by brettsomers () | ||
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gandma, always after every wash. my mother, almost never in almost 30 years! g-mas westy DID manage to flood the floor while in use, once. moms maytags (and hoses) have been loyal. good thread topic!! | ||
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Post# 129517 , Reply# 5 5/17/2006 at 22:42 (6,546 days old) by dadoes (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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Post# 129520 , Reply# 6 5/17/2006 at 23:16 (6,546 days old) by gadgetgary (Bristol,CT) |
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Valves Off
I too turn the water off after each load. I have always done that and it is quite easy since I have a single-lever faucet. Have done it for years....maybe from the teachings of my mother. Back then, she had regular faucets that needed to be hand-turned each time. Her washer also drained into one of those porcelain deep sided sinks(Frigidaire Rapiddry1000). | ||
| Post# 129522 , Reply# 7 5/17/2006 at 23:41 (6,546 days old) by roto204 (Tucson, AZ) | ||
One good reason
We ended up having to cut out our spigots and replace them entirely because we never turned ours off, and the water in Yuma was HARD. Thus, they corroded open with moock and yitka, and were unable to be closed again (and even if you could close them, by that time, they leaked around the handle stem). This is what we discovered, anyhow, when we actually NEEDED to turn the water off... So, I figure it's good to exercise them at least periodically, before anything desperately bad happens... :-| --Nate | ||
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Post# 129528 , Reply# 8 5/18/2006 at 00:18 (6,546 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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The faucets for my washer are built into the wall, but are not ordinary gate valves. They are of an o-ring design - perhaps similar to more modern seperate bathtub faucets. When I first moved in, and I shut off the hot water, it dripped a bit through the handle. Eventually I had to disassemble the faucet, and saw that hard water minerals/rust had damaged the o-ring. Now I agree that exercising the faucet regularly helps to prevent future problems with it. Were I to replumb the laundry closet I'd use ball valves instead, but for the time being these are just fine. They are connected to copper piping, so they are good for a while. Other plumbing the home is a hybrid of copper and steel. The steel is wearing out, and when I replace it with copper the shut off valves for the fixtures will be new style mini-ball valves, not the gate type which seem to crud up too fast. | ||
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Post# 129536 , Reply# 11 5/18/2006 at 03:12 (6,546 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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of course
I have the "Aqua-safe" system commonly used in Europe - the manufacturers guarantee no flooding, and pay for all damages if there is a leak...but my mom taught me that water is non-compressable. That means, the hoses are under enormous pressure. I turn the water off, turn the washer back on briefly till the "water fail" light shows (for obvious reasons) and sleep well. Every few months there is a story in the papers about a machine - failing and setting six stories of a building under water. This is not paranoia, this is simple physics. When I can't reach a handle, I use the SS-Neoprene hoses made in the 'States - and sold here at a premium. | ||
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Post# 129546 , Reply# 13 5/18/2006 at 05:05 (6,546 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut) |
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ALWAYS
Washer hoses don't burst frequently, but when they do, they can cause huge damage. My Aunt had her laundry on the second floor of her home; one of the hoses burst one night while they were asleep and by the morning they were facing ripping up two wood floors, replacing a living room ceiling and professional cleanup charges. It cost them thousands of dollars. My parents had our washer and dryer on the fourth floor of our home in NYC for sixteen years. I remember the GE technician telling my mother to make sure she turned off the faucets after every wash. After the first year they never bothered to close the valves and they "froze" open. We never had an incident and we were away from the house frequently and for long periods of time. If one of those hoses had ruptured at a bad time the damage would have involved four floors + a basement and I can't imagine what the cost would have been. This is especially odd because, in retrospect, my father was very paranoid about water damage from other sources. I'm kind of surprised that by now no one has come-up with a preset house water automatic shut-off: if say, more than 200 gallons of water was measured in an uninterrupted flow at one time it would trip a shut off requiring a manual reset. I take the warnings seriously; I had a single lever turn-off valve installed, I use it religiously, I buy the best pressure-resistant hoses and I change them as recommended. This is one homeowner's worry I don't mess with. Save Russian roulette for something fun. | ||
| Post# 129553 , Reply# 14 5/18/2006 at 07:18 (6,546 days old) by harvestgold (Deland, Florida ) | ||
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Always I also always turn off my water to my washing machines i was always told by a plumber to turn the water off when the washer is not in use just cause of the pressure thing.I feel better when they are off, one less thing to worry about when not at home water damage can be very expensive to repair | ||
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Post# 129556 , Reply# 16 5/18/2006 at 07:33 (6,546 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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I can think of better bulges to look at...
Ken, there are such devices. They aren't cheap, but they can be preset to let a certain amount of water flow through them over a period of time. After that they must be "blocked" by water pressure to reset. If the water pressure stay at atmospheric (a broken hose or valve) they never reset and stay turned off. Hope that was not too badly expressed. They are common in Europe, I have seen them at mobile-home specialty stores in the US. Since European and US fittings are the same, if you can't find one in the 'States, I'd be happy to send you a picture and data on on or two over hear. | ||
| Post# 129557 , Reply# 17 5/18/2006 at 07:43 (6,546 days old) by gregm () | ||
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sometimes most of the time no, but if I am going on vaca or away from the house for even a long weekend, I do .......... | ||
| Post# 129559 , Reply# 18 5/18/2006 at 07:55 (6,546 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida) | ||
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Post# 129565 , Reply# 19 5/18/2006 at 08:14 (6,546 days old) by mattywashboy (Perth, Western Australia) |
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from the aussie perspective
i for one have always turned off the taps to the washer after every cycle. Everyone i have spoken to has always turned off the valves to their washer after every wash, even my mom, which i never noticed before.It does advise in every washer manual and there is actually a sticker on my washer advising me to check all the valves are closed and the lint filter is clean. I think its becoming more standard practice nowadays when before noone really gave it a second thought.
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Post# 129570 , Reply# 21 5/18/2006 at 08:31 (6,546 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains) |
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Hey Ralf | ||
| Post# 129576 , Reply# 22 5/18/2006 at 09:01 (6,546 days old) by veg-o-matic (Baltimore, Hon!) | ||
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Post# 129578 , Reply# 24 5/18/2006 at 09:15 (6,546 days old) by rinso (Meridian Idaho) |
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I should, but I don't. Mine aren't all that accesible behind my Hetties, so they only get shut off if we are going to be away for overnight or longer. | ||
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Post# 129595 , Reply# 26 5/18/2006 at 10:47 (6,546 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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yep. Closed tight. No leaks allowed  | ||
| Post# 129600 , Reply# 27 5/18/2006 at 11:16 (6,546 days old) by bobbyderegis (Boston) | ||
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Hoover1060, SS hoses on a 608? This is blasphemy! What happened to the originals? Shame!! :-) Bobby in Boston | ||
| Post# 129607 , Reply# 28 5/18/2006 at 11:36 (6,546 days old) by golittlesport (California) | ||
Yes, it is a good idea to always turn the water valves off when not in use. My mom always did that on her first automatic washer, but she doesn't anymore. I always keep the water valves turned off on my 55 Frigidaire washer when not in use. It is located in the garage. My second floor laundry has a Frigidaire front loader built in under a counter and I only turn that valve off when we will be gone for an extended period of time, because it is inconvenient to do so with that setup. But I do have SS braided hoses and a safety shutoff system that will stop water flow if a hose bursts. The machine also sits above a floor drain. So I feel I am protected from anything the water gremlins may throw my way. | ||
| Post# 129609 , Reply# 29 5/18/2006 at 11:37 (6,546 days old) by rickr (.) | ||
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| Post# 129610 , Reply# 30 5/18/2006 at 11:44 (6,546 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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Toggle Nice shaft, it swings both ways and controls two ball valves for water output. Slick. | ||
| Post# 129614 , Reply# 31 5/18/2006 at 11:53 (6,546 days old) by duetboy () | ||
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Really??? There's valves on my hookups? Seriously, nope, never shut them off. Then again I like living dangerously! jeff aka duetboy | ||
| Post# 129617 , Reply# 32 5/18/2006 at 11:59 (6,546 days old) by maytagmom () | ||
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I've started doing it recently Ever since I put the new braided hoses on the Maytag. Of course, now I have to figure out why I can't get hot water into the machine. Grrrr. | ||
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Post# 129680 , Reply# 35 5/18/2006 at 17:58 (6,546 days old) by westtexman (Lubbock, Texas) |
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Said: "Of course, now I have to figure out why I can't get hot water into the machine. Grrrr." Carol, my friend, you have to turn the valves back ON once you reconnect the hoses. LOL. : ) | ||
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Post# 129681 , Reply# 36 5/18/2006 at 18:02 (6,546 days old) by westtexman (Lubbock, Texas) |
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UGH,, I guess I should proof-read BEFORE posting the message ACCESSIBLE, not accessable. OOPS! | ||
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Post# 129682 , Reply# 37 5/18/2006 at 18:02 (6,546 days old) by westtexman (Lubbock, Texas) |
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And another . . Acceptable, not accptable. UGH! | ||
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Post# 129686 , Reply# 38 5/18/2006 at 18:09 (6,546 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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| Post# 129708 , Reply# 39 5/18/2006 at 20:18 (6,545 days old) by pturo (Syracuse, New York) | ||
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Just Went Down Cellar and Did It! I forget to do this, a lot. I have a 30 something Maytag with original hoses. If I am going overnight or out of town, I shut the water off entirely to the house at the meter downstairs, however. | ||
| Post# 129713 , Reply# 41 5/18/2006 at 20:35 (6,545 days old) by bethann (Indianapolis) | ||
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WOW! You guy's are so skittish. I don't turn anything off. ( Boy I'm I gonna hear it for that!)If it leaks, blows up, I just fix it. Do any of you turn off the water to the hot water tank too? Guess I'm just lazy! | ||
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Post# 129715 , Reply# 42 5/18/2006 at 20:46 (6,545 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage) |
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Believe it or not, my gran used to turn off her oil fired boiler when it was not being "used". That is if one wanted to take a bath, do laundry, wash dishes etc, one had to go down the cellar stairs and flick the switch to the boiler. If you forgot to turn off the boiler after whatever you needed hot water for, there was heck to pay. Usually in the form of a switch. Gran also turned off her oil boiler/steam heat at night when she went to bed. It was turned on again when she woke up (if she deemed it cold enough). Getting up winter mornings while staying there was pure sadism. One didn't wish to leave the warmth of all those bed covers for the ice house conditions beyond! *LOL* L. | ||
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Post# 129751 , Reply# 43 5/18/2006 at 23:26 (6,545 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Of course, now I have to figure out why I can't get hot
It's possible that some sediment was stirred up and has clogged a screen before the machine's inlet valve. ALSO: Unsolicited Toggle tid-bit. If your cut-offs are valves, do not open them all the way; back off a quarter of a turn. If they become frozen *open* you can turn them in either/both directions to get them unstuck. | ||
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Post# 129770 , Reply# 44 5/19/2006 at 02:45 (6,545 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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| Post# 129777 , Reply# 45 5/19/2006 at 06:20 (6,545 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN) | ||
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But isn't that the point? To score? (ducks and runs) | ||
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Post# 129804 , Reply# 46 5/19/2006 at 09:00 (6,545 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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HOT button has to be engaged in order for the COLD | ||
| Post# 129818 , Reply# 47 5/19/2006 at 10:07 (6,545 days old) by stainfighter (Columbia, SC) | ||
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| Post# 129855 , Reply# 49 5/19/2006 at 12:10 (6,545 days old) by frontaloadotmy (the cool gay realm) | ||
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Let me try to Plump up your good mood, mom. what happens with both supplies on and the warm button pressed? If it has one that is, of course. Maybe you need to replace the whole inlet valve assy. I probably should shut my pie hole since I haven't paid close attention to all of the details! So much for good mood plumping!! | ||
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Post# 129861 , Reply# 50 5/19/2006 at 12:50 (6,545 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia) |
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Maytagmom, If you leave the taps turned off and start the machine filling, do you hear a humming if you switch between hot and cold? Are you able to select your rinse temps seperately? I thought a lot of the maytags had cold rinses by default? Could it be that the valve assembly has been wired up wrong? | ||
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Post# 129878 , Reply# 51 5/19/2006 at 13:52 (6,545 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Post# 129940 , Reply# 53 5/19/2006 at 17:00 (6,545 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI ) |
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Post# 130052 , Reply# 55 5/19/2006 at 22:40 (6,544 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY) |
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Post# 130193 , Reply# 56 5/20/2006 at 15:45 (6,544 days old) by sudsmaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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When I moved from my rental home to a newly purchased home in '97, I had to move the '83 Whirlpool washer. To my surprise the hot water hose was just about to burst. It had an ping pong ball sized bulge in the rubber casing right at the washer... a bit scary. Luckily it hadn't burst, and the washer sat on a small enclosed landing that was a step down from the kitchen. So it wouldn't have caused damage to the rest of the home, but it still would have looked bad to the landlady. Those hoses were probably original in '83 (previous tenant), so they lasted about 15 years before showing imminent signs of failure. As I said before, the laundry closet for my Neptune pair is smack dab in the center of the new home (well, new in 1941), on the same level. So if it flooded, it could cause a lot of collateral damage. Early on I decided on stainless braided hoses and shutting off the water whenever I am finished with the laundry for the day. So far, so good. If I'm going to be away from home for more than a week or so, I'll shut off the main water to the home, the water heater, and unplug anything not needed to ward off intruders. Things look a little different when you own instead of rent... 'cause any repairs come out of my pocket - don't want to even call the insurance company about it unless it's a major disaster. | ||
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Post# 130286 , Reply# 57 5/20/2006 at 23:38 (6,543 days old) by nurdlinger (Tucson AZ) |
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When my house was built in 1978, I installed a new GE washer with rubber hoses. In the 27 years it was in service I only had to shut off the water one time, when the pump froze up and I had to replace it. Last year I replaced the GE with a Kenmore 44092 frontloader on a pedestal. It is so much taller that I couldn't reach the valves behind it without climbing on something. After reading a number of alarmist posts both here and on THS bemoaning the low quality of equipment (both hoses and washer inlet valves) available today, I used stainless steel hoses and had a plumber replace the original valves with quarter-turn ball valves with long levers. I can open and close them by reaching over the machine with a specially-designed implement (actually a carpenter's level) and now I leave them closed when not doing laundry. Ironically, the drywall in the laundry closet looks like it is waterlogged anyway. The water softener backwash drain empties into the washer standpipe, and the plastic line that carries it had split. Since the softener recharge occurred at night and every other week or so, it leaked for a long time until the day I walked into the room without shoes and my feet got wet.
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