Ok to shut off main water with forced hot water heater

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mcat

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Hello everyone,

I need to shut off the main line in my house, the old school gate style twist knob shut off valves, hopefully will hold, so I can fix a cracked solder joint in a T that is the result of my installing a new gas hot water heater last night. The leak is around 1 or 2 drops in an 8 hour period but it still needs to be fixed.

Unfortunately the way the way the lines are setup the T coming off the 3/4 main reduces to a 1/2 and then splits into one for the forced hot water heater and the other that goes into the new hot water heater I purchased.

I'm going to have to shut off the lines and then cut into the pipe and catch all the water, what fun, then install a new valve so I can turn the water back on and then work on the section that is leaking.

My only concern is the forced hot water system, weil mclain. I've read so many conflicting reports of do this/don't do that I'm a bit concerned myself. I'm thinking that for the hour or so that I have to do this, the system will be fine on it's own, no need to shut off the gas or anything just let it keep doing it's thing.

There is another gate valve I could shut off before it goes into the boiler which would make it easier to bleed out any air that ultimately makes its way into the system, but that may just be alleviated by cracking open a faucet.

For a hot water system like this, think it'd be ok? The gas hot water heater I would assume I will need to stop the pilot light and shut the gas off while I work on the line as well.
 

Jadnashua

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Once the heating loop of a boiler is filled, since it is a closed loop(s), in theory, you should never need to add water to it again. Many systems have an autofill on them to account for any leaks to keep the pressure up, but in reality, it shouldn't need to open. You should not have any problems shutting the supply off to the boiler system for awhile. In fact, many people suggest you leave that valve closed.
 

mcat

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Once the heating loop of a boiler is filled, since it is a closed loop(s), in theory, you should never need to add water to it again. Many systems have an autofill on them to account for any leaks to keep the pressure up, but in reality, it shouldn't need to open. You should not have any problems shutting the supply off to the boiler system for awhile. In fact, many people suggest you leave that valve closed.

I located the check valves for one way flow so I feel much more confident with shutting off the mains to do the repair work. Though the main shut off, one below the water meter, and one above, will not budge an inch. Old gate style knobs.

My local municipality seems to think that the home owner is responsible for keeping their valves including valve before the water meter in good working order, so I'm scratching my head on this one, on how to go about getting the main shut off now and replace those with ball valves then get to my leaking joint.
 

Jadnashua

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You may need the city to shut your water off at the curb so you can then replace those valves. It's not uncommon for the shaft to break off of the gate when they get old and you try to move them. It's actually a good idea to operate them maybe every 6-months to a year to try to keep them free.

In some places, the utility owns things up to the meter, but it is what it is.
 

Dana

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I'm surprised that the water department is claiming that the homeowner is responsible for any of the plumbing on their side of the meter. Does that mean you own the maintenance on the service drop all the way back to the street shut-off too?

In my city they're responsible for everything up to & including the meter, with the homeowner only responsible for what's on their side of the meter. They replaced the 90+ year old gate valve on the far side of my meter with a ball valve a couple of years ago when the water needed to be turned off for some plumbing work, and the gate valve wouldn't seal well, even though it was still operable.
 

mcat

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I'm surprised that the water department is claiming that the homeowner is responsible for any of the plumbing on their side of the meter. Does that mean you own the maintenance on the service drop all the way back to the street shut-off too?

In my city they're responsible for everything up to & including the meter, with the homeowner only responsible for what's on their side of the meter. They replaced the 90+ year old gate valve on the far side of my meter with a ball valve a couple of years ago when the water needed to be turned off for some plumbing work, and the gate valve wouldn't seal well, even though it was still operable.

According to my municipality the homeowner is responsible for everything up to the street. I was optimistic at first as I called to schedule a time for a water service man to come out to shut the water off at the street and they were able to get out the next day. However, when the man arrived, and found the shutoff, it was packed with dirt and I was told until the dirt is removed the shutoff will be unable to be accessed. I called them back and was told "we'll get to it".

Different work ethic these days, one would think that they could get someone out, I even offered to lend my compressor but was told no.

Thankfully I have the drip contained with a bucket for now and all my parts/pieces lined up and ready to go.
 
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