20.7 Shutting off the apartment's water and gas

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In this section (4)

Who should do it
Water: the shutoff valve
Gas: only if there's a leak
Electricity

Who should do it

All adults in the household should know where the valves are and how to close them, because you never know who will be home. In an apartment complex, the building's main valves and the gas meters are controlled by management or the utility; you only operate your apartment's shutoff valve and the valves on your appliances. Many complexes are all-electric: check whether your apartment has gas.

Water: the shutoff valve

Find it today. It is usually under the sink, behind or next to the water heater, in a utility closet, or behind an access panel. Ask maintenance if you can't find it.
Close it by turning the handle clockwise (wheel valve) or a quarter turn until it sits crosswise to the pipe (lever valve).
Open a faucet at the sink to confirm water no longer comes out.
Turn off the water heater if you'll leave the water shut off for hours (for electric ones, from the breaker panel switch).
Tell management immediately if the leak is from the building's plumbing or comes from the apartment above.

When to shut off the water and how to make use of what remains in the pipes: chapters 3, 9, and 10.

Gas: only if there's a leak

DANGER

If you smell gas (rotten eggs) or hear a hissing sound: get out first, without turning anything on or off, and call 911 and your gas company from outside. The full procedure is in chapter 9. Close the valve only if you can do it immediately, without going further into the apartment and without risk. Never turn it back on yourself: the utility must inspect the installation and relight the pilot lights.

Appliance valve (stove, heater, dryer): it is on the pipe behind the appliance. Turn it a quarter turn until the lever sits crosswise (perpendicular) to the pipe. That cuts the gas to that appliance without affecting others.
Meter valve: in apartment buildings the meters are usually in meter banks; they are operated by the utility, the fire department, or management. In a house: a valve about 6–8 in (15–20 cm) above the ground on the pipe that rises to the meter; a quarter turn with a 12 in wrench until it sits crosswise.
Don't shut off the gas “just in case” after a disaster if there is no odor or damage: turning it back on requires the utility and can take days.

Figure 20.4. Quarter-turn gas valve. Open: the lever runs in the same direction as the pipe. Closed: the lever sits crosswise to the pipe. — **Figure 20.4.** Quarter-turn gas valve. Open: the lever runs in the same direction as the pipe. Closed: the lever sits crosswise to the pipe.

Electricity

Turn off the main breaker in your apartment's panel if there is water near outlets, sparks, a burning smell, or if you're told to. Stand in a dry spot and use only one hand. If the panel or the floor is wet, don't touch it: get out and call management or 911.