HomeMy WebLinkAbout12,WS-stop & drainTHE GREAT MAJORITY OF LEAK CONDITIONS ARE CREATED BY THE IMPROPER
OPERATION OF A MASTER SHUT-OFF VALVE. THE TYPICAL MASTER SHUT-OFF VALVE IS A
"STOP & DRAIN" VALVE. THIS TYPE OF VALVE HAS THREE PORTS
• ONE PORT IS THE INCOMING SUPPLY FROM THE METER BOX
• ONE PORT IS THE OUTGOING FEED TO THE INTERIOR PIPING OF THE HOUSE
• ONE PORT IS A DRAIN THAT ALLOWS FOR THE REMOVAL OF WATER FROM THE
INTERIOR PIPING. THIS DRAIN PORT IS LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE VALVE
THE TYPICAL VALVE IS BURIED ABOUT TWO FEET UNDERGROUND AND IS SURROUNDED
WITH A POCKET OF GRAVEL. THE GRAVEL PROVIDES A PLACE FOR WATER TO GO WHEN
THE PIPES ARE BEING DRAINED. THERE IS NORMALLY A LONG METAL HANDLE ATTACHED
TO THE TOP OF THE VALVE. THE HANDLE IS MOST OFTEN LOCATED IN A CLOSET OR
CABINET.
TYPICAL SET-UP FOR A MASTER SHUTOFF VALVE
A STOP & DRAIN VALVE HAS A 900 ROTATION. THE VALVE CAN BE IN ONE OF THREE
POSITIONS:
1) FULL OPEN (00 POSITION). THE INCOMING SUPPLY IS FULLY OPEN. THE OUTGOING
FEED IS FULLY OPEN. THE DRAIN PORT IS FULLY CLOSED.
2) FULL CLOSED (90° POSITION). THE INCOMING SUPPLY IS FULLY CLOSED. THE
OUTGOING FEED IS FULLY OPEN. THE DRAIN PORT IS FULLY OPEN. THIS POSITION
WILL DRAIN THE INTERIOR PIPING OF THE HOUSE.
3) PARTIALLY OPEN (ANYPLACE BETWEEN 00 AND 900). ALL THREE PORTS ARE
PARTIALLY OPEN. THIS WILL CREATE A LEAK CONDITION. WATER WILL ENTER THE
HOUSE THROUGH METER AND GO OUT THE DRAIN PORT. SUCH A LEAK CAN BE AS
LARGE AS 3 TO 5 GALLONS PER MINUTE AND MAY NOT BE VISIBLE AT THE GROUND
SURFACE UNDER THE HOUSE
DRAIN PORT IN CLOSED POSITION
DRAIN PORT IN OPEN POSITION
HOW CAN I TELL IF THE VALVE IS FULLY OPENED OR FULLY CLOSED ?
THE BEST METHOD FOR CHECKING A STOP & DRAIN VALVE IS TO LISTEN FOR THE
SOUND OF FLOWING WATER.
1) VERIFY THAT ALL SINKS, TOILETS, SHOWERS, ETC. ARE TURNED OFF
2) PLACE YOUR EAR AS CLOSE TO (OR ON) THE METAL HANDLE AS POSSIBLE
3) IF WATER IS FLOWING, YOU WILL HEAR A BUZZING/HISSING SOUND
THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE OF PICTURES WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW A PARTIALLY OPEN
STOP & DRAIN VALVE WILL CREATE A LEAK.
Interior
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