Victoria Television Group 3808 N. Navarro
Victoria, TX 77901
Phone: 361 575-2500
Fax: 361 575-2255
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Safety Shut Off
Written by Shawna Currie
Tuesday, 08 January 2008
OUR HOMES AREN'T SIMPLY A STRUCTURE. THEY ARE A SERIES OF SYSTEMS THAT LET US LIVE IN OUR HOME DAY-TO-DAY. IT COULD BE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PLUMBING SYSTEM. YOU MAY EVEN HAVE A GAS SYSTEM IN OUR HOME. AND WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, YOU NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT IT IS QUICKLY. AND, IF YOU CAN'T, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SHUT THE SYSTEM OFF AT ITS SOURCE UNTIL WE CAN GET AN EXPERT IN TO FIX IT.
NOW ONE OF THE SYSTEMS I DON'T RECOMMEND ANY HOMEOWNER MESSING WITH IS THE ELECTRICITY. IF YOU EVEN THINK YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT SYSTEM, REACH OVER, GRAB THE MAIN BREAKER, SHUT IT DOWN, AND CALL AN ELECTRICIAN.
ON THE WATER SYSTEM, IT'S USUALLY A PARTICULAR PROBLEM LIKE A TOILET THAT NEEDS TO BE WORKED ON OR A FAUCET IS DRIPPING. THERE ARE USUALLY SHUTOFFS RIGHT NEAR THOSE SOURCES THAT YOU CAN TURN OFF, WORK ON THAT UNIT, AND LEAVE THE REST OF THE WATER ON.
NOW IF YOU HAVE A MAJOR LEAK IN YOUR HOUSE - A PIPE BUSTS IN A WALL - YOU CAN'T SHUT THAT OFF FROM THE INSIDE. YOU NEED TO SHUT THAT OFF OUTSIDE. SOMEWHERE ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME IS THE WATER METER. FIND IT. THERE'S A VALVE NEXT TO IT. A QUARTER TURN SHUTS OFF THE ENTIRE HOUSE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO USE PROPANE OR NATURAL GAS IN YOUR HOME, IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE A LEAK OR A PROBLEM. THERE'S A VERY SIMPLE WAY FOR HOMEOWNERS TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S A LEAK IF YOU SMELL ANYTHING FUNNY. YOU CAN TAKE A SPRAY BOTTLE WITH SOME SOAPY SUDS IN HERE AND START SPRAYING ALL OF THE CONNECTIONS AROUND WHERE YOU SMELL. AND WHEN YOU GET TO ONE - OH, IT'S OBVIOUS THIS IS LEAKING. NOW YOU CAN GO AHEAD TRY TO TIGHTEN THIS UP YOURSELF AND STOP THE LEAK. BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL, CALL THE GAS COMPANY HAVE THEM COME OUT AND FIX THIS.
DON SAYS TO PREPARE FOR THE EVENTUAL HOME EMERGENCY, FIND THE ALL THE SHUTOFFS IN YOUR HOME NOW AND WRITE THE INFORMATION DOWN. STORE THE INFORMATION WITH YOUR TELEPHONE DIRECTORY SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT IS. YOU WON'T BE GUESSING WHERE THE WATER SHUTOFF IS WHILE THE LEAKING PIPE FILLS YOUR KITCHEN FLOOR WITH WATER.
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