I was at a friend's house the other day, when one of the teenagers came running out, panicked because the toilet was spewing water everywhere. We went in to take a look, and found that the nut holding the flushing assembly had suddenly and inexplicably cracked, causing all the water in the tank to start leaking on the floor, inches deep within minutes. I waded in, turned the water off to the toilet at the angle stop (vocabulary word for the day!), and, to empty the tank further, then flushed it. Tank empty and water off, the leak slowed and stopped. Easy. But, it occurred to me, my teenage self would not have known what to do, and even many homeowners I've known would be left helplessly watching while their toilet poured water all over the floor endlessly, waiting for a plumber to arrive. So! Today, let's get a little familiarity with the different types of emergency shut-offs in your home.
Get Cozy with your Angle Stops
New home buyers who are interested in taking care of their investment and preserving the life of their home will ask me what are the essentials they need to know. Among many other topics, I always point out the main shut-offs every homeowner should be aware of, the main water and electrical shut-offs for the home. But, in addition, there are also isolated shut-offs for appliances, called angle-stops when we're talking about a plumbing appliance. They're easy to find, just look under the sink or under the toilet and you'll see a little handle. Turn it to the side, and that will shut off the water to that line. A toilet will only have one, a sink will have two, hot and cold.
Homeowners, take just a minute to familiarize yourself with where they are. Show your kids, teach them how to act fast and save the day when something is going wrong. We take the time to know where the hazard lights and spare tires are in our vehicles, so take just a minute, get to know your home a little better, and teach your kids a new and valuable life skill!
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