Shutting off street water main question?

JK60 · Feb 17, 2006

Is there a trick to shutting off the street water main. I bought a special tool and the tip of the tool broke when I tried to turn the valve. Looks like the tool is made out of aluminum. I tried using a big wrench with a huge screw driver through it for leverage and simply could not budge it. I am afraid that I'll break the pipe if I try any harder. HELP!!!

Thank you,

Jerry

Gary Swart · Feb 17, 2006

Jerry, I can't speak for every meter, but I had the same experience with mine a few years ago when the main shut off valve in my basement broke off. I couldn't budge the meter turn off with anything I could lay my hands on at the time. As soon as possible, I had a welder friend make a turn off key from steel pipe. The handle is about 20" across and it still takes some effort to turn the meter rod. It seems to me that since meters are rarely turned off, they tend to be quite stiff. I'd point out that some cities "frown" on private citizens having a key to the meters, but so long as you use it for legitiment reasons, I doubt if you would ever have a problem. One flooded basement while waiting for a lone emergency city man to come from across town for me to get my own key!

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

JK60 · Feb 17, 2006

Garry - Thank you for the information. I thought I would include a picture of my shut off valve. Just in case someone asks I was trying to turn it in a clockwise direction so the holes would line up. Off course when that didn't work I tried the other way with no luck either.

Cass · Feb 17, 2006

Try a curb / street key. It will work or it will break the line.

JK60 · Feb 17, 2006

Cass, At the risk of sounding uninformed (well now that I think about it, I am), what is a curb/street key?

Just for reference here is a tool that I bought and could do nothing with.

hj · Feb 17, 2006

tool

Since that is basically a toy, it is no wonder it would not turn the valve. If you had a real smooth turning valve it would have worked, but then so would a pair of pliers.

Master Plumber Mark · Feb 17, 2006

question

anyone mention a basin wrench yet.....??

they sell common 4 foot street keys at LOWES and HOME DEPOT

Gary Swart · Feb 17, 2006

I'm not all that knowledgable about the various types of keys for water meters, but it does seem than there are various designs. The one in the photo is very different from mine. Point I would make is to get one that is well made to turn little used valves that are difficult to move. However, I would not resort to totally brute force because if you break it, it might be difficult to explain the the city water department. If you can't move it with reasonable effort, call the city. If they break it, it's their problem.

JK60 · Feb 17, 2006

Breaking the valve or pipe is my biggest fear. I am thinking of maybe making some kind of a wooden brace to add additional support to the pipe while trying to turn the valve. Unfortunately I still don't know what a street key looks like. Couldn't find anything on the web. Any additional information or a website with a picture will be helpful. I hate to go to HD or Lowe's uninformed. Nobody there knows much. I was asking a "plumbing expert" at HD recently where they have their pipe vises, and he had no clue what I was talking about.

Thanks for the help!!!

Jerry

Jimbo · Feb 17, 2006

The tool you show is an emergency wrench, and is intended to function as a curb key, But as you found out, it is a lightweight tool. A good curb key will be made of steel, and have longer stronger handles for leverage.

JK60 · Feb 17, 2006

Finally found a website that shows a picture of a curb key. Now I know what to look for. Thanks everyone for your input. If there are any other tricks you can think off please let me know.

Jerry

Toolaholic · Feb 17, 2006

Jk60 Relax, And Back Up

#1 get a larger T wrench . If it is still difficult ,call the water dept. and ask them to replace the valve. i've done this several times for my customers in ca. NO CHARGE. yesterday PACIFIC GAS installed a new gas meter and shut off valve [free] for one of my customers. this was next day service ! the valve was VERY difficult to shut off. here in ca we want to be able to shut off the gas in an e-quake ,fast an easy. On my gas meter, I installed an auto shut off for quakes . hope this helps someone! Tool

JK60 · Feb 17, 2006

Toolaholic, Thanks for the heads up. That is certainly an option that I am going to explore if I can't budge the valve myself.

Jerry

Oldrem · Feb 22, 2006

Have you contacted your local water dept ? Where I live, it is a free service to have it turned on or off whenever I need it done. If I do it myself and anything breaks I am financially responsible.

JK60 · Feb 22, 2006

I haven't as yet but certainly will give them a call before I do anything.

Thanks,

Jerry

Yersmay · Feb 22, 2006

I had similar trouble and I called the water department and asked if they could replace the valve. They were very cooperative about it... a guy came out, put a new valve on I can turn with my hand. It might be worth a try to call and ask.

Dubldare · Feb 22, 2006

A little trick up here in the northland (where our curbstops are 6'+ deep) is to pour some coca-cola down the riser. If that doesn't work, get the 'hoe.

andyprius · Feb 22, 2006

jk60 said:
Is there a trick to shutting off the street water main. I bought a special tool and the tip of the tool broke when I tried to turn the valve. Looks like the tool is made out of aluminum. I tried using a big wrench with a huge screw driver through it for leverage and simply could not budge it. I am afraid that I'll break the pipe if I try any harder. HELP!!!

Thank you,

Jerry

The procedure for any frozen nut is to clean with steel brush at joint, soak a little penetrating oil on joint, let set for a while, tap gently with hammer on top to loosen frozen condition, use large wrench 6-12 inches. Never use a wrench extremely large as pipe can break. Then H2O everywhere OR worse yet gas. This particular valve should be bi-directional, BUT don't count on it. Always try CCW first, sometimes it helps to pressure the joint a bit CW to break the frozen joint. Heat (propane torch is another but drastic solution. Last and the best...Call the Utility Company.

JK60 · Feb 22, 2006

andyprius said:
soak a little penetrating oil on joint... Always try CCW first, sometimes it helps to pressure the joint a bit CW to break the frozen joint.

With regard to penetrating oil, is there no concern of contaminating the water?

A picture of the valve is above in post #3. I assumed that I need to move it in a CW direction to line up the two holes. Is that a false assumption?

Thanks,

Jerry

Dunbar Plumbing · Feb 22, 2006

Moving backwards then forwards helps loosen up the motion of the valve. There is a packing gland separating the water in the valve. Oil will not affect it. You will need to get under the tab to make the oil effective.

Using the right tool for the job eliminates the use of oil, let alone the concern about turning off a valve.

Shutting off street water main question?

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