Turn Off The Water To Your House Texas

originally posted by: Irishhaf
Don't know about texas but it surprised the heck out of me in oklahoma when I had to call the city to shut off the water to my house while working on some pipes.

For the main shutoff, there "can" be a special tool, in most cases there should be a valve in the house where service comes in. Recently though, I had to re/re my hot water tank..could not find a valve in the house, probably was in the crawlspace. I ended up using the tool to shut it off the main outside.

originally posted by: WeDemBoyz
I'm from Texas and, almost without exception, our water shutoff is in a locked concrete box that is sunk into the ground (see photo below). You need a key to open it....

I really appreciate this post. I thought that people were just being retarded, because here our water shutoff valve is always inside the house, and is reasonably accessible. Ours, for example, is behind the washer and dryer. Apparently it's not the average citizen, but the builders, that were dumb. What possible reason could there be to lock up the water shutoff valve like that in a home? I can maybe see it in an apartment or maybe a rental, but wow...

I live in Texas and have a house that was built in the 80s I can’t get to any of my pipes as they are behind the walls to insulate them other wise I would I don’t have a water turn off in the house it’s in the box in the yard. Our water stopped around 5pm on Monday at that point I drained the system and turn the main valve off.

I then waited for a notification from my water company about the water. It came back on around Friday at 1pm with really low pressure. I opened all the faucets in the house then went out and turned the main valve back on it gurgled and then a small stream poured out of the kitchen then the bathrooms.

I sighed a great relief.

a reply to: vonclod

yep it was kept under a locked plate in the front yard turned off with a special shaped rod.

Every other place I lived had a way to do it in the house.

originally posted by: Irishhaf
a reply to: vonclod

yep it was kept under a locked plate in the front yard turned off with a special shaped rod.

Every other place I lived had a way to do it in the house.

I was surprised not to find that in my place, It could be in the crawl space, spider filled 2' ceiling horizontal hell ..not crawling in there

originally posted by: WeDemBoyz
Anyway, what seems like a simple solution is not always so simple.

Pretty much every house has the same setup...You don't need a key, that little hole is to put something in to lift it like that screw driver. You need access to it like in case a sprinkler head breaks that is outside of the house, you also have a main in the house too.

a reply to: Assassin82

From a Texan: you dont get bbq at a steakhouse. You get steaks and grilled items. You get bbq at a bbq joint. 2 very different things.

a reply to: vonclod

Most Texas homes would need a waterkey.

I lived at a place where the pipes froze. Our water meter exploded. Then after many requests to insulate, the water meter froze again. The landlord tried suing me for not paying for the damages. I counter sued for 3 months rent without plumbing. I won. Eat it, slumlord.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

true but you can # the water off from the water heater and most bathroom lines have a shut off some where in the house.


usually the name cutoff is where the rest of the utilities come into your house, mine is in the crawl space.


off topic.......bbq....



ETA they make pipe insulation with heaters in it. cheaper than new drywall or a HO claim

I once lived in a town where the city had to turn off the water because the home did not have a valve.

The first thing i did was add my own valve in the line so i could turn off the water anytime i needed.
i believe the cops in that town had the water department looking for and reporting anything they thought was not normal.

I also added heat trace to all outside lines, so they would not freeze.

I also lived in an area where it got down to minus 40 and never had well insulated pipes freeze

I was born and raised in Texas, live in Minnesota now. I was raised knowing where the cut off valve is, how to turn it off, and that during cold winter nights to leave faucets running. But a TON of people there just DO NOT KNOW what the heck they are doing. All the people suffering from busted pipes down there right now is solely due to ill-preparedness. Plain and simple. The ones who do know better just assume everyone else knows to turn on faucets. But there are still dummies here in MN that don't remember to keep faucets dripping and end up with busted pipes.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan

From a Texan: you dont get bbq at a steakhouse. You get steaks and grilled items. You get bbq at a bbq joint. 2 very different things.

Rudy's is the best

a reply to: penroc3

Check out 8bitguy on YouTube.

His house got owned.

Ouch.