Yes, it is highly recommended to open one or two faucets before gradually restoring water supply to your home. This simple step is crucial for preventing potential plumbing issues and ensuring a smooth repressurization of your water system.
Why Open Faucets Before Turning Water Back On?
Opening faucets serves several important purposes when turning your water supply back on after it has been shut off:
- Prevents Air Trapping: When water is shut off, air fills the empty pipes. Opening faucets allows this trapped air to escape as water re-enters the system, preventing "airlocks" that can restrict water flow.
- Reduces Pressure Surges: Slowly refilling pipes with open faucets minimizes sudden pressure fluctuations, often referred to as "water hammer." This protects your pipes, joints, and fixtures from stress and potential damage caused by rapid pressure changes.
- Allows for Gradual Filling: Water can slowly push out the air and fill the pipes, rather than rushing through an empty system and causing rattling, banging, or potentially dislodging sediment.
- Protects Appliances: Sudden bursts of air and high pressure can be detrimental to sensitive appliances like water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers.
Step-by-Step Guide to Restoring Water Supply
Follow these steps to safely and effectively turn your water back on:
- Select Faucets: Choose one or two faucets to open. Ideally, select fixtures on the lowest level of your home, such as a utility sink faucet, an outdoor spigot, or a bathtub faucet. Turn both the hot and cold handles to the full open position.
- Locate Main Water Shut-Off Valve: Find your main water shut-off valve. This is typically located where the main water line enters your home, often in a basement, utility room, or near an outdoor spigot.
- Slowly Restore Water: Begin to turn the main water shut-off valve very slowly. The goal is to gradually introduce water back into your home's plumbing system.
- Monitor Open Faucets: Listen and watch the open faucets. You will likely hear sputtering and see bursts of air and discolored water coming out. This is normal as the air is purged from the pipes.
- Wait for Steady Flow: Continue to turn the main valve slowly until you observe water flowing freely and steadily from the open faucets, indicating that most of the air has been flushed out of the main lines.
- Close Faucets: Once the water flow is consistent and clear from the initially opened faucets, turn them off.
- Purge Other Fixtures: Next, systematically go through your home and slowly open each faucet (hot and cold sides separately) and flush each toilet. Allow water to run until it flows smoothly and clearly, purging any remaining air or sediment from individual branch lines and fixtures. Start with the lowest level and work your way up to higher floors.
Important Considerations When Restoring Water
- Sediment Stir-Up: Turning water off and on can sometimes stir up sediment or mineral deposits that have settled in your pipes. It's normal to see discolored or cloudy water for a few minutes after restoring the supply. Allow the water to run until it clears.
- Check for Leaks: After the water is fully restored and pressure has stabilized throughout your home, take a few minutes to visually inspect pipes, connections, and fixtures for any new leaks that may have developed.
- Water Heater: Ensure your water heater is full before turning on its power, especially if it's an electric model. Turning on an empty electric water heater can damage the heating elements.
By following these guidelines, you can safely and effectively restore water to your home while protecting your plumbing system from unnecessary stress.
