Do you know where the water shutoff valve in your home is? Every home has one, though sometimes it is located elsewhere on the property and not within the home itself. If not, you should find out, as it’s vital during a plumbing emergency. The water shutoff valve controls the flow of water into your home by opening or closing the water line. While it is very important for shutting off the flow of water during a plumbing emergency, it has a number of flaws that need to be addressed. Read on to find out how an automatic shutoff valve can better protect your home from water damage.
The Purpose of Shutoff Valves, and Their Automatic Alternatives
Shutoff valves are included on homes for a number of reasons. They are used to shut off the water for things like maintenance and repairs, but they are also used to prevent water damage in emergencies like pipe ruptures. The problem with most valves is two-fold. First, you need to be able to manually get to the valve and close it in order to cut off the flow of water. Second, you need to know where it is in the first place in order to do that. Most homeowners don’t actually know where their shutoff valves are. Even if they do, they still have to be in the home when a plumbing emergency happens in order to operate the valve. If a pipe ruptures while you’re away, you may come back to a flooded house because no one was there to shut off the water. That’s why you want an automatic shutoff valve. An automatic shutoff valve monitors the flow of water through your home, and automatically shuts off the water if it detects a major leak or rupture. That way, your home is protected from water damage even if you can’t reach the valve, or don’t know where it is.If you’d like to know more, call Magnolia Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. We install automatic shutoff valves throughout Gaithersburg, MD.
