Think this through with me

[james_davis_nicoll]

A washer in the bathroom tap is shot and the tap has suddenly a substantial flow. I'd rather not waste water for the time it takes a plumber to fix the problem and so I've shut off the water in the basement.

Is there some horrible failure mode I am overlooking, some obvious way turning the water off will lead to a calamity? I've filled the cats' water dish and their brita.

[Update: we have the sound of silence from upstairs]

Comments

[affreca.livejournal.com]

Flushing the toilet?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

well, the loo won't refill - and you'll need to turn off any water heater you have because if you drain any hot water and the element is exposed it'll burn out.

Oh yes, the voice of experience...

Re: What else can happen to water heaters?

[amberdine.livejournal.com]

This excerpted video is a little misleading. All water heaters have a valve to prevent the tank from pressurizing. I suspect the previous segment discussed showing why that valve is there...

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Wait, there's a water heater in the basement. Will that be a problem?

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Since I have no idea how to turn the water heater off, I will turn the water back on.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

This only matters if you run the hot water out.

If you're not using any hot water, the hot water tank will remain full, and the element will be just fine.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I'd say so, if it's an immersion heater. Just turn off the heat. or don't use any hot water.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

I don't know how to turn off the heat but I'm OK as long as I don't run the hot? The leak appears to be cold water...

Ah, best not to risk it.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

My thinking is:

1: Let water run, waste some money.

2: Turn water off, unexpected failure mode like a dripping hot water faucet I don't know about leads to the complete destruction of the house.

1 seems better than 2.

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

Yes, especially since they usually charge by the hour and a washer shouldn't take that long.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

It has one but it's frozen in place.

[xeger.livejournal.com]

If you have something like wd-40 around the house (or penetrating oil) it might be worth trying a squirt on the threads -- I hesitate to suggest giving the side of it a gentle tap, knowing the propensity for 'fascinating incidents' when you attempt to repair things.

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

The plumber is already on the way. I don't think banging on the valve with a hammer is going to make things much worse.

Have him replace the valve at the same time anyway.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

"Watch your hot water tank", and "don't flush the toilet" are the two obvious big ones.

But a replacement tap part on a standard two-knob sink is a 15-minute fix. You're going to get a plumber, for that?

Pry off the little plastic cover that says "H" or "C" (or "C" or "F", really, or just red and blue. That's not the point). You'll see a screw - unscrew it, and something that looks like a spark plug will come out.

Take that whole piece to your local hardware store (a CanTire is perfect. Walmart will do in a pinch) and show it to the staff, and tell them you want a new one just like it. Take the new one home, put it in the hole, screw it in, and turn the water back on. Poof!

If you get a leak after that, replace the *other* one, too.

If, at any point, you get a spray of water on your ceiling, turn the water back off, get some towels, and THEN call the plumber.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

When I try to fix things, terrible events occur.

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Okay.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Given your history with "terrible events", that's probably wisdom. Also, even for those of us who replace faucet washers, old faucets can turn savage. Or disintegrate, whichever comes first.

Yeah, have the guy (assumed "guy") replace both washers while he's there.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

I've actually had a success with an old faucet, even including grinding the valve seat.

I have had *far* more non-successes; but then I never claimed to be a plumber.

I've got one local shutoff that I can't use because it leaks copiously in any position but "on", that I really need to replace, too.

Plumbing is *mess*; the failure modes are among the worst.

[galbinus-caeli.livejournal.com]

But then you get wonderful stories.

"I had to call a plumber to repair a sink" is much more boring than "I had to call a plumber to repair a sink after it exploded when I tried to fix it."

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Note that I'm expected to provide these stories for free. Medical stuff is free but plumbing comes out of my pocket.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

Oh bother. You've caught on to us.

[hattifattener]

Ah, in the truly enlightened future we will have socialized plumbing.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Is there some obvious reason why I shouldn't replace the part on both taps at the same time? Are they expensive?

[theweaselking.livejournal.com]

Nope! They're cheap, and replacing them both at the same time is totally okay.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

If it's just the bathroom tap, is there not a valve under the bathroom sink that can be shut off, so that you won't have to shut off the water in the basement and the rest of the house will still have water?

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

There is but it is frozen and I don't want to snap it off trying to force it.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

Right, missed that, thanks.

[argonel.livejournal.com]

Since you are having the plumber come out anyways it might be worthwhile having them replace the shutoff too, as preparation preventing future problems.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

I will replace both washers and the cut off valve (unless it turns out the valve cannot be replaced inexpensively).

[kd5mdk.livejournal.com]

"It has one but it's frozen in place."

[n6tqs.livejournal.com]

You should ask the plumber how to turn off the water heater, and make a note of that. Otherwise, an external water failure can cause this problem. Note that a low water level in the heater can cause the rocket effect shown in the Mythbusters video, because the heat can turn that water into high-pressure steam (local reference, it was done at the old Alameda NAS).

There is a heat/pressure release valve that's supposed to be vented to a safe place, to prevent that, but given your past, it's not vented properly (many aren't) or it will fail shut. Then you could get your very own rocket effect.

Fill a bucket of water, and you can use that to flush the toilet. When I had the plumbing in this house replaced, I specified a faucet in the front yard with a separate cutoff from the rest of the house, so that if I need to cut off the whole house, I still have a working source.

[velochicdunord.livejournal.com]

Once the offending shut-off valves are replaced, add a reminder to your computer's calendar to go around and turn the valves on and off once a year. That's all that's necessary to keep them unfrozen. And when you open them up again, give them a quarter turn back from the most open position. Brass is soft and (relatively) easily damaged.

We have one on the Treefort building's calendar, added after the mass replacement of frozen shut-off and flow regulation valves two years ago. (the old board had a lot to answer for).

[bibliotrope.livejournal.com]

If you need to flush the toilet, or run hot water, turn the main water valve back on briefly and try to catch the water from the leaky faucet in a bucket while that's on. (A large enough bucket might be enough to refill the toilet tank next time you need it, or the cats' water bowls.) Then you can turn it off again.

Hope the plumber comes soon!

[corruptedjasper.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the water heater would be my first concern. If it has a fuse or switch, simply shut it off.

And of course not having water is *annoying*, but apart from things like the water heater, washing machine, dishwasher, few things will go wrong directly from its unavailability. Plumbed in espresso machiens or water coolers possibly.