Water Faucet Shutoff After Each Use - Is It Necessary?

[paul234]

The mnauals always say to shut of the hot and cold faucets after each use.
My late father did this fanatically for all his years.

I have the 50 year old style hot and cold valves like some showers have.
The washers are touchy and tend to wear out fast and are hassle to work
on.

I'd prefer to leave them on that way my washers will never need work.

However I want what's best for the machine too.

The plumbers and the installer told me not to bother to shut these faucets
off. The manual says in case of a rupture or a leak to shut off after use.

Can having them on put undo pressure on the seal and cause it to fail early?

Or is this a disclaimer so no one sues for water damage?

thanks again

 

[DADoES]

 
Can't say how necessary is it, but it is a very good idea considering what can happen if a hose fails or the machine's inlet valve goes wonky.

That being said, none of my immediate family (parents, sisters, even aunts/uncles far as I know) shut off the faucets between uses and no one has (yet) had a catastrophe.  Well, correction on that ... I have a couple washers connected to the tub faucet in my master bathroom and I do turn it off after use.

The above also being said:  Checking the washer at one of RJ's rental houses a couple years ago, one of the inlet hoses was worn and had a slight drip at the end fitting.  I grabbed a spare I had lying around instead of buying new hoses, which spare was approx 10 years old from a relative's washer that had been given to me.  Going back to the rental house again about a year later, that swapped-out hose had developed a large swelling.

 

[ea56]

My washer is on the 2nd floor and I live in a condo. During the past 20 years that we have lived here at least 4 of our neighbors have either had a hose burst or the drain hose come out of the drain, causing extensive damage. Because of this I always turn off the valves after each wash. I have replaced the valves once over the past 20 years due to worn washers and I couldn't get the valve stem out, so replaced the valves instead. We tried flood safe hoses for a while, but they are a hassle. Every time the main water supply is shut off you have to reset the hose saftey valve by unscrewing them from the faucet and attaching them back again. I even put a note above the faucets to remind me to turn them off when I'm finished with the laundry. I personally think an ounce of prevention is woeth a pound of cure.

 

[mrb627]

Not Me.

But I replace hoses about very five years or so and the water pressure in my house is regulated to 40 psi. Since dialing back the water pressure, I have not had to replace a single faucet washer or toilet valve which seemed to be a regular occurrence beforehand.

Malcolm

 

[philr]

I used not to turn the faucets off but one time, just a few minutes after I arrived at home, I heard some noise like if someone else was using water but I was alone... So I went to to check where that was coming from and when I opened the door of the bathroom (where the washer and dryer are located), there was water everywhere. One of the hoses to the washer had split just a few inches away from the faucet and was spilling water all across the room. The hoses were just 5-6 years old as they were replaced with the washer. It took no more than two minutes before I had the time to close the faucets and there was a lot of water dripping in a closet in the basement after that. When I saw the mess that it caused in just on or two minutes, I imagined how bad it would have been if this had happened a few hours before when there was nobody home!  I guess the basement would have been flooded and there would have been a lot of damage! 

 

A friend of mine had a problem with the water line for the ice maker that a plumber had recently installed in his girlfriend's condo a few months after he moved with his fridge that was equipped with an ice maker. The water that dripped from the tiny tube (under the sink) was enough to cause $25,000 worth of damage in their condo and about the same amount of damage to the unit downstairs as there was nobody home when this happened. The insurance paid for the damage to both units but it they had to be relocated to a hotel for a while. It's a good thing he had paid a plumber to install it because he might have been into trouble otherwise!

 

[iej]

"AquaStop" is fairly common-place (especially in continental Europe) on washing machines and dishwashers.

Basically you've a box with a solenoid valve in it at the end of the supply hose. So, when the machine's not filling the water's cut at the tap.

Usually this is connected to the water mains with a brass fitting, so it's as good as fixed plumbing.

Also there's a tray in the bottom of the machine with a float switch, so if you've any internal leaks the machine will automatically activate the drain pump continuously.

This prevents a flood if the fill valve were to somehow stick open due to software failure or a level sensor failure, or if the drum/tub assembly or any other components in the machine leak into the base.

Here in Ireland some machines have it, some don't. However, it's fairly standard in countries where you've a lot of apartment dwellers.

 

[wayupnorth]

I always shut them off after the last load is finished. I have seen a few places flooded by burst washer hoses and its not going to happen to me if they are off.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Leave it on.
Turning them off is a royal pain if they are not accessable and if not done correctly, they will cause more strees on the hoses because of constant consistant on/off pressure witthout pressure release.

For those who turn off the valve after washday should run 5 second warm fill cycle to take pressure off hoses to prevent premature hose/valve failure. A hose is like a ballon or an air plane, each on/off cycle will put stress on the rubber until a weak spot is formed and you know the rest of the story......

Something to think about!

 

[DigAPony]

How about installing a shut off valve downstream of the valve, such as 1/4" turn ball valve or even garden hose splitters capped on one end?

Check out the plumbing section at Home Depot, I'm sure something can be put together.

 

[wayupnorth]

Once my old Maytag fills for rinse, I shut both of them off, easy to get at. The only appliance I let run without me being in the house is the refrigerator.

 

[alr2903]

If your brave and have an unfinished basement laundry, you are probably okay. Mom got away with it her entire life.  If your laundry is a "finished" part of the house and not down a couple of steps, you could be in for a big surprise.  The hot hose burst on our washer years ago in a townhouse, the water literally met us at the driveway.  I hope you can come up with something!

 

[kb0nes]

To think my girlfriend laughs at how paranoid I am for turning off the main water valve in the house when its empty for a few days! But personally I have never considered valving off the laundry supply when its not being used. Buy good hoses, inspect them once and again and replace them every 10-15 years or so.

 

If my laundry was upstairs and not in an unfinished basement with a floor drain perhaps I'd think differently. If that were the case one of those dual supply valves with the shared lever would make the shut off operation simple at least.

 

[maytagbear]

Only when

I am going to be away for ore than 8 hours at a time. Overnight, maybe. More than a full day, definitely.

As I see it, occupants of multi-family buildings have more responsibility.

I have a lever-type valve, and it's so easy.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[paul234]

A few opinions here

I'm not sure what i'll do yet?

A few opinions here

Most seem to favor shutting them off.

I don't have rubber hoses. When I ordered the unit online from
Home Depot they required me to buy $20 steel hoses. My washer
is in a utility room out side main side door leading to garage.
If it leaked it would probably flow towards my garage front door,
which does have some gap under it.

I just hate these valves. They are a pain and wear out washers.

My plumber did say I could put in a type of hook handle valve or
something to shut them off. Perhaps what Digapony was pointing out.

"cleanteamofny SAYS LEAVE THEM ON OR I MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS!"

( NOT YELLING, I DON'T HAVE BOLD TYPE PRIVILEGE YET

As for water pressure. I had 90 pounds here until I had my main line replaced
a few weeks ago. I was 10 pounds above code for 50 years. They put a flow resticter on it set at 50 pounds by the city. I had the plumber turn it up to the maximum of 80 pounds under our city code. I like a good powerful outdoor hose! 40 pounds I could pee faster than that.

Damn, I wish I wasn't somewhat OCD

Not sure yet what I will decide?.... %#@*(%$!

THANKS MUCH! You people helped me fix a fridge and a
dishwasher a few years ago. I was using the name Joe. Now my real
name Paul. I had to re-register

 

[frigilux]

Cheapest. Insurance. Ever.

I shut off the faucets to the washer after the last load of the day. I shut off water to the house if I'm going to be gone overnight/a few days. Takes only a few seconds; worth the effort.

I was taking care of cats for friends who were gone for a week and a faulty plastic piece under their kitchen faucet gave out. Totally flooded the first floor and it 'rained' into the lower level. WHAT A FREAKING NIGHTMARE!!

Having seen the damage/hassle only strengthens my resolve to shut if off.

 

[georgect]

It's not "Necessary"...unless you have a flood.

We've always shut off the water valves to our washer...because you just never know.

Why chance it? Just make it a habit.

And for safety sake only run the washer and or dryer ONLY when you are home.
If you have to leave your home, pause or stop the machines until your return.
If there's a fire or flooding situation, at least you'll be home to react quickly and intervene accordingly.

 

[whirlcool]

And if a hose does burst, your water company will charge you for the extra water too! Our neighbor at our last house had a hose burst while she was at work. The water was running all day long. It completely flooded her house.

We use those braided SS hoses, but don't turn off the water valves because it's such a PITA.

 

[murando531]

I too only shut off water for vacations and the like. I do leave the cold water valve on though, because our CatGenie's inlet hose is attached to the same faucet as the washer with a T-valve. T'would be quite a stink to come home to if the thing couldn't wash while we were gone haha.

I discovered shortly after we moved into our new house that the "hose" the contractors used to connect the dishwasher was actually rigid refrigerator supply tubing, rated for no more than 90F degrees. It also explained why there was an annoying thud against the inside of the cabinets when the inlet valve kicked on or off. I was quite agitated about that.

I replaced it with high-quality steel braided hose, and it's silent now, as well as having no risk of spontaneously melting and flooding the house.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

All good points, and everything well-taken... But, I'm afraid, if I don't leave everything on I'll wonder why there's no water going into my washer or dishwasher and burn the motors for 'em out...

I have two valves that permit water for all our plumbing--a main and secondary, that are hard enough for me to understand the operation of and coordinate without trusting my wife to, if we were to make any of these precautions a regular routine...

Hopefully I'll get enough warning if the inlet hoses of my washer ever go bad and that I can quickly (though probably not as cheaply, either way, really) replace them if ever the need...

I just want the shower faucet knob turned off! When I turn the bath tub on to give our daughter a bath, I feel obligated to have to take my clothes off and jump in the shower water that my wife (and brother-in-law was sponging showers off of,for a while, here) leaves on that I get hit with, 'cause she (and he!) won't turn that extra knob...

-- Dave