Southern California recently experienced a number of powerful earthquakes, the most powerful in many years. Although we were fortunate to have experience minor damage here in Orange County, these quakes are an important reminder of how we need to be vigilant about earthquake safety and preparedness. There are many resources online to help you prepare your household for emergency situations from quakes. In this post, we want to talk specifically about earthquakes and your plumbing, since the plumbing system is one of the parts of a house most vulnerable to quake damage.
Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Earthquake Emergency Shut-Off Valve’
Plumbing and Earthquakes: A Few Things to Know
Monday, August 26th, 2019A Reminder That You Should Install an Earthquake Emergency Shutoff Valve
Monday, September 19th, 2016Chances are, you use at least a couple of gas-burning appliances in your home. Whether it’s a furnace, heater, or some other appliance, you probably rely on natural gas to keep part of your systems up and running. That’s all well and good, but it’s important that you be aware of the risks that it presents, as well. Read on to find out why it’s a good idea to install an earthquake emergency shutoff valve.
What are Earthquake Emergency Shut-Off Valves?
Monday, January 20th, 2014If you live in Southern California, earthquakes are a constant concern. Safety and preparedness need to involve all aspects of your home. From the perspective of experts on gas and plumbing in Irvine needs to include earthquake emergency shut off-valves to help keep your home safe in the event of a shocker. But what are earthquake emergency shut-off valves? More importantly, how do they do their job? A quick primer can be found below.
The valves have sensors on them calibrated to detect quakes of a sufficient magnitude to cause problems with your gas lines. When those sensors are triggered, they immediately cut off the flow of gas. Some valves merely redirect the gas to unaffected piping. Others turn off the gas completely. This safety feature often goes beyond the initial damage cause by the quake itself. The ground can shift in an earthquake, destabilizing underground pipelines and setting the groundwork for a future problem long after you’ve thought the danger had passed. That’s the sort of assurance you have with an earthquake emergency shut-off valve: protection for your home until all the repairs can be made.
If you don’t have such a valve, they’re pretty easy to install, provided you have the right professional service to do so. With a skilled technician on the job, the task should take only a few hours. The same technician can also reset the shut-off valve after it’s been triggered (after determining that every aspect of your gas system is safe) and inspect it every 1-2 years to ensure that it’s operating as it should.
In those cases, it’s imperative that you have the right kind of professional to help you out. For issues with gas and plumbing in Irvine, you can count on Saddleback Plumbing to help. We’ve had plenty of experience installing and maintaining earthquake emergency shut-off valves, and can put one in your home with safety and professionalism foremost in our minds. We never know when the next big quake will hit, and when it does, you want the assurance that an earthquake emergency shut-off valve can bring. Call us today to set up an appointment!