GBA Logo horizontal Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram YouTube Icon Navigation Search Icon Main Search Icon Video Play Icon Plus Icon Minus Icon Picture icon Hamburger Icon Close Icon Sorted
Building Science

A Plumbing Feature Every Home Should Have

Install ball valves where they're easily accessible for emergency plumbing shutoffs where and when you need them

The water supply line has a shutoff valve in the basement as well as other nice features.

As we know from one of the most recent natural disasters to hit the US (Hurricane Helene), it’s good to do some emergency planning before an emergency strikes. But let’s take a more common example: plumbing leaks in your home. If one occurs, can you quickly and easily turn off the water? For many people, the answer is probably no. If you’re in that group, read on.  Or skip to the bottom and watch the video.

An indoor shutoff valve upgrade

I’m in the process of remodeling my basement, and we’re taking the opportunity to upgrade our plumbing system at the same time. One of the things I did is change how the water comes into the house. As you can see below, the supply pipe that came into the basement did indeed have a shutoff valve. But guess what… that valve was buried behind a closet with only a small access panel.

The old gate valves on our original plumbing
The old gate valves on our original plumbing. The valve to shut off water to the house is the one on the left. The pipe on the right goes to an outdoor hose bib.

It’s also a gate valve. That type of valve is notorious for corroding and leaking. And yes, both of these did. I messed with them a couple of times before I realized it was best not to touch them. So that meant having to go out to the street and turn off the water at the meter. For a couple of years now, I’ve been planning to move the valve to the mechanical room, where it would be more accessible. I also knew I wanted a ball valve for my shutoff instead of a gate valve.

Some other features of my inlet water supply

The lead photo above shows my new configuration, and there’s an annotated version of it below. The inlet water pipe goes below the ceiling joists and into the mechanical room. There it drops down to a convenient height. The first thing the water hits is the main shutoff valve. Then it comes to a gauge that measures the incoming water pressure. As you can see, ours is more than 100 pounds per square inch (psi), which is very high.

Inlet water supply valves, gauges, and regulator
Our upgraded inlet water supply includes two shutoff valves, pressure gauges, and a regulator.

So, the next component the water reaches is a pressure regulating valve. We don’t want to send 100 psi pressure throughout the house because that can be bad for plumbing fixtures. The regulator allows us to bring it down to a more reasonable 60 psi. We know that because of the second pressure gauge just past the pressure regulator. Then there’s a second ball valve in case we have to replace the pressure regulator or a leaky fitting. (People keep telling me those SharkBite fittings leak, so I’ll keep an eye on them.)

Good design for shutoff valves

In short, to minimize damage from plumbing leaks, put a shutoff valve in a convenient place. Don’t put it on the far side of the crawl space or just under the basement ceiling joists. Put it where someone can easily walk right up to it and turn it off. No crawling. No ladders. No guessing the location. Then use a good quality valve, preferably a ball valve. They close more quickly than gate valves and generally last longer. For more on this subject, watch our new video below. (And please hit the like button and subscribe to our YouTube channel!)

A further step you can take is to install a smart valve. The two I’ve heard the most about are the Phyn and the Moen Flo, but there are others as well.  I’m probably going to put one of those in later. This basement remodel is already costing a lot! If you have experience with any of these devices, please share it with us in the comments below.


Allison A. Bailes III, PhD is a speaker, writer, building science consultant, and the founder of Energy Vanguard in Decatur, Georgia.  He has a doctorate in physics and is the author of a bestselling book on building science.  He also writes the Energy Vanguard Blog.  For more updates, you can follow Allison on LinkedIn and subscribe to Energy Vanguard’s weekly newsletter and YouTube channel.

8 Comments

  1. armynavy17 | | #1

    Based on your incoming water pressure, the first pressure gauge really should be rated higher. While there is a safety factor built in, operating gauges at or above their pressure range often results in leaks in short order.

    1. GBA Editor
      Allison A. Bailes III, PhD | | #8

      True. When I ordered the gauge, I didn't know how how the street pressure was. I'll replace it sometime.

  2. user-723121 | | #2

    Sometimes the main gate valve at some point may not have been opened fully and the valve can wear so the water will not shut off completely. How to replace the main valve if the water source cannot be shut off completely as in a leaking stop box from the city water main. My plumber told me of using dry ice to temporarily freeze the incoming water main so a new main valve can be installed. Just a neat trick from a great master plumber, Bill.

    1. sterilecuckoo58 | | #5

      Specific to Bill’s comment re dry ice to freeze the pipe. It works, but you need dry ice. Always be mindful of the total force the ice plug needs to hold back. (Cross sectional area x gauge pressure).

      The stories I tell myself:

      Mechanically attached valves can be installed on a leaking line with the new valve full open. Historically this worked with compression, flare, threaded and flanged connections- should work with the newer crimping and clinging systems as well. The greater the flow rate the greater the challenge.

      Preventive practice : Gate valves shall be backed 1/4-turn from full shut or full open. How to get a gate valve to drop tight when 1/4-turn short of “full stop”? Service the valve stem (replace packing, seal and seal hardware an itty bitty bolt for most house gate valves). This practice in water supply systems informs the operator whether the valve is frozen (won’t move), open or closed. Same applies on the house side of the meter.

      .

  3. bcade | | #3

    We've made the Moen Flo a de facto standard on remodels and new builds, the cost is negligible compared to the damage of a bad leak, especially if the home is not lived in full time, and I believe can help with insurance. One benefit they have that some competitors do not is a pressure sensor, so if your regulator fails, it can notify you and shutoff water before the weakest link (icemaker or washing machine hoses) blows.

    This doesn't apply to ~98% of readers here, but if you live in a climate without freezing temps, put all of this outside. That way if you do get a leaky PRV or anything on supply side it doesn't leak in your house, especially since both of those are upstream of where the Moen Flo can sense it and the leak outside should be easier to spot than in an unoccupied basement.

  4. nickdefabrizio | | #4

    I just finished installing a complex multi filter water purification system and larger pressure tank on my well water . I installed guages and ball valves in many locations including to create bypasses around filter housings so they could be bypassed to replace them and I could monitor before and after pressure on each filter. I used a pro press (rented from FW Webb) and pro press fittings for the first time in places where soldering was difficult and it saved so much time versus soldering! I was amazed. No need for shark bites, use pro press fittings if you don't want to solder.

    One thing to keep in mind: use guages and ball valves marked for potable water! Not all are for potable water....

  5. sterilecuckoo58 | | #6

    More stories I tell myself, but haven’t always heeded:

    Valves on pressure gauge taps are a great way to simplify servicing, use the tap for alternate purpose, ease angst while vacationing or any other time you might not be watching the gauge do its thing. (Leads to roving gauges and then AWOL gauges) .

    Ball valves are great for quick shut off, but are not necessarily drop tight. High quality valves are, and can remain so. I have 3/4” 316 SS valves that are drop tight after 30 years. (Funny thing, they were lead free then and probably still are. The brass transition fittings between the SS and Cu are of course low lead and the likely weak link. )

    As soon as you introduce any limitation on reverse flow between your DHW and the street, you must install an expansion tank .

  6. sjmuller | | #7

    The one concern I've heard about the Moen Flo is the plastic impeller of the flow monitor can break pretty easily, requiring the water to be shut off and the entire unit replaced. When I had to replace my leaking main shut off, I added a YoLink smart motorized valve right after the main shut off. The valve is wireless and waterproof and will run for two years on a pair of AA batteries. I can open or close the valve remotely from anywhere in the world via the app. But the real key is it connects to wireless leak sensor pucks throughout my house at every plumbing fixture and water using appliance. If any of them detect water, they immediately send a signal to shut off the smart valve. The valve and the leak sensors use LoRa-based long range wireless, so they will work even without WiFi during a power outage. Best of all, the system is extremely cost effective. The smart valve, hub, and nine sensors cost about half what the Moen Flo costs. Been using it for 10 months now and have had zero issues. The only false alert was when my wife was cleaning around the toilet and her wet rag touched the leak sensor, the water shut off within 30 seconds, and I immediately received an alert on my phone. YoLink also sells bolt-on smart motorized valve operators that can be added to almost any existing ball valve. A great solution if you rent or don't want to make any permanent changes to your plumbing.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Community

Recent Questions and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |