Utility Companies

[Catt]

I decided to surprise my wife by changing out the commode in her bathroom. When to Home Depot, bought everything, got home, unboxed it all.

 

Got ready to tear out the old one & notice the shut off valve needed checking, so back to Home Depot, & got a new value.

 

Went outside to turn the water main off, couldn't really get the wrench straight on the main value & broke it. 2-3 yrs ago the city water division changed the meter & instead of putting the cover back where you could reach the shut-off valve the moved it to where they could read it easier!

 

Now I gotta wait 3 days for the water department to come out & change it!

 

My question is why on earth is the main water shut-off valve still under ground?

 

I understand freezing temperatures but that can be eliminated with insulation!

 

I'm so ticked right now, a simple 2 hr job turned into a week long project!

[MN Fisher]

You don't have a basement, do you. My main shut-off is in the basement...I've had to use it in the past when I replaced the water heater.

 

And wasn't THAT a fun time since the person who did it before hard-soldered the pipes to the water heater. Cut out, solder in junctions, touch up the pin-hole leaks. Luckily my dad taught me plumbing growing up - saved hundreds on that job.

[12poundbass]

You don’t have a shut off where the water line comes through the floor? Maybe things are different up here but every fixture has a shut off. 

 

There are several reasons why they’re put deep. One like you said freezing water, there are times even insulation doesn’t do the trick. Another and probably the main reason is liability. If a shut off fails and destroys your house you’re going to be even more ticked. It’s easier to replace a small section of a yard than someone’s entire life (house). Another reason is it makes it pretty difficult to turn water back on after it’s been shut off for non payment when it’s 4’+ underground. 

 

I Doubt this’ll help ease your frustration at all, but I tried. While you have the water shut off, install some shut offs on your fixtures to prevent aggravation in the future. 

[Mobasser]

Catt, you should have them put a new shutoff in for you. I agree, and have had similar problems working on old houses. Sometimes, it's like pulling teeth to get them to come back. Nonsense!!

[Catt]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

You don't have a basement, do you.

 

Basements in the south would fill with water faster than you could build it!

 

45 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

You don’t have a shut off where the water line comes through the floor?

 

That's the value I needed to change.

 

Down here water lines are only 6-8" underground because it seldom if ever gets cold enough to freeze a water line or water main.

 

[deaknh03]

52 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

You don’t have a shut off where the water line comes through the floor? Maybe things are different up here but every fixture has a shut off. 

 

There are several reasons why they’re put deep. One like you said freezing water, there are times even insulation doesn’t do the trick. Another and probably the main reason is liability. If a shut off fails and destroys your house you’re going to be even more ticked. It’s easier to replace a small section of a yard than someone’s entire life (house). Another reason is it makes it pretty difficult to turn water back on after it’s been shut off for non payment when it’s 4’+ underground. 

 

I Doubt this’ll help ease your frustration at all, but I tried. While you have the water shut off, install some shut offs on your fixtures to prevent aggravation in the future. 

he was replacing the shutoff at the fixture, thus needing to shutoff the entire house.

[12poundbass]

20 minutes ago, Catt said:

That's the value I needed to change.

 

13 minutes ago, deaknh03 said:

he was replacing the shutoff at the fixture, thus needing to shutoff the entire house.

I completely missed that part. I will now put myself in time out. 

[Sam]

35 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Basements in the south would fill with water faster than you could build it!

 

 

That's the value I needed to change.

 

Down here water lines are only 6-8" underground because it seldom if ever gets cold enough to freeze a water line or water main.

 

That is why they bury the dead above ground in Louisiana.

 

And it also is good business for the Roux-Ga-Roux that roams the Louisiana marsh and swamps and eats people.

[Mike L]

Hey Catt!

Just do what I do in my old age..."Call The Guy"!!!! And be done with it ??

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Hey Catt!

Just do what I do in my old age..."Call The Guy"!!!! And be done with it ??

 

Mike

On the other hand, you can be like me. Up your game so that you can take care of even the moderately hard things. Thereby saving money that can be spent on gear.

 

(I do the plumbing, minor electrical (install outlets, wire lights, etc) and finish-woodworking around the house...saved thousands over the years)

[Tennessee Boy]

I have a basement and a main valve that's easily to get to.   I turn the water off every time we go out of town.  I know I guy that had the plastic hose that goes to his refrigerator burst  while he was on vacation.  It caused $18,000 in damages.   

[Mike L]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

On the other hand, you can be like me. Up your game so that you can take care of even the moderately hard things. Thereby saving money that can be spent on gear.

 

(I do the plumbing, minor electrical (install outlets, wire lights, etc) and finish-woodworking around the house...saved thousands over the years)

My game has been over for years. 

I used to be like you and sometimes I miss it, but when I retired from work, I retired from work!! ?

 

But ya gotta do what ya gotta do

 

 

Mike

 

 

[Chowderhead]

1 hour ago, Sam said:

Roux-Ga-Roux that roams the Louisiana marsh and swamps and eats people.

 

I got nothing to add on the plumbing issue (sorry Catt), but thanks to Sam I just spent a lot of time learning all about the Roux-Ga-Roux. 

[MN Fisher]

19 minutes ago, Mike L said:

I used to be like you and sometimes I miss it, but when I retired from work, I retired from work!!

I've been retired for 3 years now myself - I enjoy puttering around the house and saving money at the same time.

 

Course being on a fixed income - needs must.

[Catt]

4 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

On the other hand, you can be like me. Up your game so that you can take care of even the moderately hard things. Thereby saving money that can be spent on gear.

 

(I do the plumbing, minor electrical (install outlets, wire lights, etc) and finish-woodworking around the house...saved thousands over the years)

 

The value that broke belongs to the city ?

 

 

[jbsoonerfan]

When I was on city water (thank goodness I'm on a well now) I had a leak between the meter and my house. The city told me that it was my responsibility to fix it. No big deal, right. I go to the meter and shut it off (it was flooding my back yard) and got busy digging where I thought the leak started. Turns out a joint blew out (brand new house) and needed to be replaced. I got it fixed and turned my water back on. Called back to city hall and told them it was fixed. They asked me how I got the water turned off and I told them I did it. They sent me a ticket for $200 for turning my water off. Well needless to say I didn't pay it, and made sure the word was out. There were a lot of incidents of tickets being written by the mayor who was also an officer and turns out he was found guilty of embezzlement a few months later. He was also a mechanic and worked on every city vehicle when it had a problem. 

[TnRiver46]

15 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I have a basement and a main valve that's easily to get to.   I turn the water off every time we go out of town.  I know I guy that had the plastic hose that goes to his refrigerator burst  while he was on vacation.  It caused $18,000 in damages.   

That's why I use icecube trays! I've seen it too many times 

[Log Catcher]

47 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

That's why I use ice cube trays! I've seen it too many times 

I have a copper line going to my refrigerator. AS long as the solenoid valves are not energized on the refrigerator that will all be okay.

[TnRiver46]

27 minutes ago, Log Catcher said:

I have a copper line going to my refrigerator. AS long as the solenoid valves are not energized on the refrigerator that will all be okay.

A Mouse won’t eat through that one! 

[N Florida Mike]

I understand what you’re going through @Catt . I have had several plumbing issues through the years . I have what we call a gate valve - it’s outside up against the house. It’s supposed to completely shut off the water but it’s old and only shuts off about 75%. Which isn’t going to work when I do an indoor plumbing project. So I have to turn it off out near the road which is the cities valve. It is very hard without the specific tool for it. ( and that’s after finding it again and getting the top off, then digging the dirt out enough to get down to it.) But it can be turned off with a vise grip . And sometimes a hammer and chisel to get it loosened up enough to turn it.

(And water running from the leak or broke pipe all this time. )And then closing it after the job is done.

My son is a plumber among other things so he does a lot of it for me now and just charges for parts. He has not fixed the gate valve yet tho...

 

[Black Hawk Basser]

Gate valves always fail.  Make sure to install a ball valve when replacing.

[roadwarrior]

21 hours ago, Mike L said:

Hey Catt!

Just do what I do in my old age..."Call The Guy"!!!! And be done with it ??

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

Get over it.

 

[A-Jay]

Did we time warp to January already ? 

?

A-Jay

[lo n slo]

On 9/3/2019 at 2:11 PM, Catt said:

I decided to surprise my wife by changing out the commode in her bathroom. When to Home Depot, bought everything, got home, unboxed it all.

 

Got ready to tear out the old one & notice the shut off valve needed checking, so back to Home Depot, & got a new value.

 

Went outside to turn the water main off, couldn't really get the wrench straight on the main value & broke it. 2-3 yrs ago the city water division changed the meter & instead of putting the cover back where you could reach the shut-off valve the moved it to where they could read it easier!

 

Now I gotta wait 3 days for the water department to come out & change it!

 

My question is why on earth is the main water shut-off valve still under ground?

 

I understand freezing temperatures but that can be eliminated with insulation!

 

I'm so ticked right now, a simple 2 hr job turned into a week long project!

retired water works guy here with 30 years in the field. the shut off valve is supposed to be inside the meter box and accessible. whoever set that box did a poor job. i would take the time and install my own quarter turn valve on the backside off the meter box while they have your water turned off. they sell those small valve boxes at the hardware store. that way you won’t have to suffer the consequences of their ineptitude. good luck Catt.

[Catt]

2 hours ago, lo n slo said:

. the shut off valve is supposed to be inside the meter box and accessible. whoever set that box did a poor job.

 

Yes sir!

 

They set the box so it would be easier for the meter reader to see the readings. These guys have a little rod to open the box without bending over & the meter is in full view while the shut off valve can not be accessed correctly.