What Is an Automatic Shut-Off Valve?

Blog What Is an Automatic Shut-Off Valve? Schedule Service What Is an Automatic Shut-Off Valve?

August 17, 2015

We've all heard the stories of people coming home from vacation to find their living room under water. While this isn't a common scenario, it isn't uncommon for your plumbing system to develop leaks that you aren't able to detect. This is because much of your home's plumbing system resides behind walls and ceilings, and it is this kind of leak that can cause a great deal of water damage. One of the best ways to avoid water damage from even the smallest leak is to employ the use of an automatic shut-off valve.

What  Is It?

An automatic shut-off valve is to your plumbing what a circuit breaker is to your electrical box: a safety control. When used with your plumbing system, an automatic shut-off valve can save your home from water damage and keep you from wasting hundreds of gallons of water from unseen leaks.

How Does It Work?

The valve operation is fairly straightforward. Using a water sensor that is placed on the floor, the sensor can detect when there is spillage of any kind; when it does, it turns off your main water valve to keep your plumbing system from continuing to supply water to the leak. The signal is an electronic one, and it signals to a pad that activates a magnetic shut-off. Many automatic shut-off valves come with a centralized control panel, making it extremely easy to set and manage, and many can also monitor your hydronic heating system components.

What Kinds of Leaks Can It Stop?

Here are some examples of the kinds of leaks an automatic shut-off valve can detect:

• Ruptured lines
• Leaking boilers
• Malfunctioning water-based appliances like dishwashers and washing machines
• Frozen pipes
• Pinhole leaks
• Hydronic radiant heating systems
• Exterior water pipes

Think your home in Fair Oaks, CA, can benefit from an automatic shut-off valve? Give the plumbing experts at Bronco Plumbing Heating and Air a call today!