After turning off the supply shutoff, open the outside faucets to drain the remaining water out of the pipes. Never leave a hose connected to an outdoor faucet: It traps water in the faucet, which can freeze and crack open the faucet.
After all faucets are open, let the COLD WATER run for at least 30 minutes. During this time, also flush each toilet in your home 2 or 3 times.
You can empty pipes by running the water and flushing the toilets after the water has been turned off. After draining the pipes, it is a good idea to leave the faucets open to prevent pressure build up from any water that remains. If you have an interior sprinkler system (for fire prevention) don't turn off the water.
Your Home's Main Water Shut Off
Sometimes it can be found along a wall in your garage, or even under your kitchen sink. When turned off, it shuts down all water flowing into your home. As you can imagine, when a pipe bursts, knowing how to turn off that water flow becomes invaluable knowledge.
Once all your faucets are turned on, including the outside spigots, turn the water valve all the way on. Let the water run through all of your faucets for 10-15 minutes to make sure you are seeing a steady stream of water, or aren't hearing any noises coming from your piping anymore.
After you turn off your mains water system and drain excess water from your residence, turning the water back on and running your faucets and house appliances that use water can remove air bubbles from the pipes.
Twist all Faucets a Half Turn and in Order
Next up is to open every channel that water uses to get from pipes into your home. This process creates a path for the air to leave the plumbing system. To start this process, turn on all your faucets, twisting the tap only halfway.
If your main water supply is turned off for any reason, it's best to shut down the water heater as a precaution until the supply resumes. Continuing to run your water heater when the tank isn't full could cause heat damage to the internal components.
Ball valves may be the most reliable valve and are commonly used for main water shut offs. Similar to gate valves, ball valves should be all the way open to allow the full flow of water or all the way closed to restrict all water from flowing.
Fortunately, whether your water has been shut off for remodeling purposes or municipal repairs in your neighborhood, you can still flush your toilet and enjoy that marvelous aspect of indoor plumbing.
How to turn off your home's water supply and drain indoor pipes. Whether you're closing up your cottage for the winter or planning on taking an extended winter vacation, draining the pipes in your cottage or home can help prevent them from freezing (and possibly bursting) while you're away.
There may be a hidden plumbing leak in the walls of your home, or maybe your toilet is running when it's not in use. These “hidden” leaks can cause your home to be using water even when your main water valve is turned off.
Discolored water and trapped air are common occurrences after a water main break or other water system maintenance work. Discolored water is caused by sediment and mineral deposits in the pipes that can be stirred up when the water is turned off and then back on following work on WSSC Water's water system.
Begin the flushing procedure by opening the hot water taps in your bathroom(s). Open ALL hot water lavatory (sink) fixtures, hot water bath fixtures, and any other hot water fixtures, such as kitchens, wet bars, etc. Run these hot water fixtures for at least 15 minutes. Shut water off after 15 minutes.
Can you flush the toilet when the power is out? Most toilets have a large enough water reserve to flush one more time, even when the water is off. After someone uses the final flush, more water will need to be added to the bowl.
A rotary gate valve should be opened to the stop and then closed just a little. By leaving the valve just a bit closed, the stem packing is not compressed. This extends the life of the valve, and makes it easier to operate when it needs to be closed fully. A quarter-turn ball valve can be left fully open.
As a water heater heats up, the water expands Unless you have an expansion tank, a small amount of water must be allowed to backup into the water mains. If the main water valve is turned off, there is no place for the water to expand into. So, do not turn off the water and leave the water heater on.
You can keep showering (and using hot water for anything else) if the leak from the water heater is minor. However, your rituals should be kept to a minimum while you seek assistance from a professional plumber. You shouldn't keep using a water heater that is leaking from the bottom or anywhere else for the long term.
Noisy pipes: Loud banging, hammering, or gurgling noises coming from your pipes can indicate the presence of air bubbles. Sputtering faucets: If your faucets are sputtering or spitting water when turned on, this is a clear sign that air is trapped in your plumbing system.
Air in hot water lines normally comes from your hot water tank. Trapped air will be released when you use the hot water in any faucet inside your house. That water pressure seems to be affected but remember that the real problem is coming from your water heater, not your water supply.
An airlock in the pipes will eventually result in no water at all if it isn't taken care of. Even worse, it can cause blockages, overflows and other serious problems. Airlocks do sometimes fix themselves, but it isn't a risk worth taking.
Water hammer can commonly be caused by trapped air inside the system. Air can find its way into your pipework system if empty pipework is filled too quickly. To minimise the risk of air accumulating with the system, ensure pipework is filled slowly to allow air to escape.
The reality is that air bubbles in your water pipes will most likely not cause damage to your plumbing. The impact often remains superficial. Thus, you can expect to experience: Loud noise coming from the water lines.