Adding water shutoff with a water softener

[Adam Preble]

Awhile back I had asked where I might have a water shutoff on my property. Looking at the hints, the only one I can find is the municipal one undera manhole cover just off of my property. Of course, the city doesn't want me to play with it. The only way for me to do some plumbing improvements is to have the city shut it off, and have them turn it on a few hours later--and hope everything is OK.

I don't like this idea and was thinking about the work required to install a shutoff. It sounds like a PITA that isn't cheap to do. Recently, I had thought about the work that goes into installing a water softener, and I wonder if I could exploit that to add a shutoff. I assume I could keep a water main shutoff inside the garage this way, next to a water softener. It seems like the most convenient way to go about it, but I wondered if there are some perils in doing this.

[Adam Preble]

OK there's one caveat. While it might be possible to get this in the main before the external faucets, I figured this would cover the inside of the house just fine--and that is what matters to me right now. That's where I have to do the improvements anyways.

[Bob]

There's no shutoff at the meter?

Bob

[SJF]

Logical way to do things. I have a shutoff just ahead of my water softener that can shut off all water to the house. Really convenient. I use it to turn water off for repairs, new faucets, etc. It also permits me to turn off the house water if I am gone for a week or two. Outside water for lawn sprinklers and hose taps remains on since they branch off the line ahead of the valve.

SJF

[oren]

After the street meter/shut off, the water main enters my garage via the foundation. It's easily accessible and has a pressure relief valve, then a shut off valve. This shuts down the house without going to the street. At the water heater I added a shut off just for immediate emergency, since I was in changing out the heater. At the water softener there is a faucet for soft water to wash the car, but no shut off valve.

Oren

"My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."

[PolyMorf]

Many softeners (I have a Culligan) have a bypass valve installed. You just copper into the inlet and outlet lines.

Be aware that softeners must have air-gapped discharges. It is against Code to run lines or hoses into ANY drain such as your washer or a floor drain.

[SJF]

The GE softener I installed as a replacement two years ago specifically suggested use of the floor drain stating --

"Locate the other end of the hose at a suitable drain point (floor drain, sump, laundry tub, etc.) that terminates at the sewer. Check and comply with local codes."

An associated sketch shows that the end of the hose should discharge into the floor drain but not be physically connected (air gap to provide anti-siphon protection).

SJF

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Isn't it against code not having whole house shut off valve inside the house? Every house I had built and lived in had shut off valve right after the main pipe enters the house thru basement floor. Of course there was shut off for cold water line going to water heater. Our softenoer has bypass valve but no shut off. Tony

[PolyMorf]

It MUST be air-gapped as the sketch shows. You are not supposed to run a hose down any drain, though many homeowners and unfortunately, water softener companies, do it. A licensed plumber can only install as an air gap. In addition, the code in my city insists that the water softener must be air gapped on its own drain and cannot be shared.