Totally agree on valve keys—learned that the hard way myself. Another thing I'd add: label your shut-offs clearly. You'd be amazed how many times I've seen homeowners panic and start turning random valves, making things worse. Also, keep a small pump handy if you're prone to basement flooding... saved me more than once when the water was rising faster than I could shut things down. Little prep goes a long way.
Labeling valves clearly is spot-on advice. Had a tenant once who panicked during a burst pipe and ended up shutting off the gas instead of water—talk about making things worse. After that, I started color-coding valves with bright tape and simple labels. Also second the pump idea; mine's been a lifesaver more than once. It's funny how these little precautions seem trivial until you're ankle-deep in water at 2 AM...
Color-coding valves is a smart move, especially if you're dealing with tenants or family members who aren't familiar with the system. I've seen people panic and twist every valve in sight—gas, water, even sprinkler lines—just hoping something stops the flood. Had one homeowner call me at midnight because he'd shut off everything except the actual water main... talk about a rough night.
One thing I'd add is to periodically check those valves. Tape fades, labels peel off, and valves can seize up if they're not turned occasionally. Nothing worse than clearly labeled valves that won't budge when you need them most.
And yeah, pumps are underrated. I keep a small submersible pump handy—it's saved me from some serious headaches more times than I'd like to admit.
"Nothing worse than clearly labeled valves that won't budge when you need them most."
Seriously, great point—labels are only helpful if the valve actually turns. Do you recommend any specific lubricant or maintenance schedule to keep them from seizing up? I've been meaning to tackle mine...
I ran into this exact issue last winter—middle of the night, freezing temps, and a pipe burst in the basement. I thought I was prepared because I'd labeled all my shut-off valves clearly, but when I went to turn the main valve...nothing. Completely seized up. Ended up scrambling around with a wrench and a hairdryer (yeah, desperate times...) just to get it moving enough to shut off the water.
After that fiasco, I did some digging around and found that silicone-based lubricants are generally recommended for plumbing valves because they don't degrade rubber seals or washers. Petroleum-based stuff can actually make things worse over time by breaking down rubber components. I've been using plumber's silicone grease ever since—just a thin coat on the valve stem threads and any moving parts once or twice a year seems to do the trick.
As for maintenance schedules, I'm not sure there's a hard-and-fast rule. Personally, I've made it part of my seasonal checklist—every spring and fall when I'm already checking gutters, HVAC filters, smoke alarms, etc., I just take a few minutes to open and close each valve fully a couple of times. Keeps everything moving smoothly and gives me peace of mind.
One thing I'd caution against is forcing a stuck valve too aggressively without lubrication or heat. Learned that lesson the hard way when I snapped off an old valve handle trying to muscle it open. Ended up being way more work (and expense) than if I'd just taken my time with some lubricant and gentle persuasion.
Anyway, definitely worth tackling sooner rather than later—trust me, you don't want to be fumbling around at 2 AM with water spraying everywhere...
