I've a gas furnace (with electric blower fans) in my basement. Is there a "shut-off" valve for the gas lines, as there's supposed to be for the water lines, please? (The kind that shuts off the gas/water before it enters the house, not at the furnace.)

If there is such a switch, where is it usually located, please?

Thank you.

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), December 07, 1999

Answers

Deb yes, there is a shut-off valve. Each appliance has a valve, and if you follow the gas line back you will find one that shuts off everything. The valve has a flat handle to it. If it is in parallel to the pipe, there is flow. You have to turn it so that it is perpendicular to the pipe. You have to use a wrench to turn it. It is kind of hard to explain but is easy to do. hope this helps

-- bob (bb@myhouse.com), December 07, 1999.

If your furnace is natural gas,there will be a valve next to the gas meter.The valve (probably) will have padlock eyes-when the holes are aligned, the valve is off.You'll need a fairly healthy wrench (12" adjustable/Crescent) to turn the valve-they're usually a bit stiff. If LP gas,the valve will be under the cover at the tank-round handle similar to a water faucet-works the same,clockwise for off.

-- Sam (Gunmkr52@aol.com), December 07, 1999.

Deb, If you want to turn off the gas to the whole house for any reason, it's located outside the house at your gas meter. It has a very large handle and usually requires channel lock pliers to turn it to the off position(right angle to the gas pipe). Be aware that in doing so, it also turns off any standing pilots that would have to be re-lit. As the previous reply says, each appliance "should" have its own shut off valve.

-- Franko (Franko@home.com), December 07, 1999.

In most houses there is a gas meter outside. There should be a shutoff on or near the meter. This will shut off the gas to the whole house. There is a wrench that is made to turn the valve on/off that is much easier to use than a pliers, etc. Some folks buy the wrenches and have it handy in the event of a disaster such as earthquake, fire, etc.

However -

WARNING #1: If you shut off the gas to the entire house and then later turn it back on - you may have to light pilot lights on such things as the furnace and water heater. Some of the newer ones have electronic ignition and, therefore, don't have pilots.

Warning #2: If you turn off the gas and have a furnace that has electronic ignition, then you run the chance of ruining the igniter and related igniter controller since it will continue to attempt to light over and over but never does. On some units this cycle will continue and can harm the unit. They can also be very expensive to replace.

If you turn off the gas then I would also suggest that you turn off the electricity to the furnace so this doesn't happen.

Charlie

-- Charlie (chicks@ix.netcom.com), December 07, 1999.

Deb M

There is a regulator just outside your house that drops pressure from pounds to ounces. Just below it is a valve. A crescent(adjustable) wrench can be used to turn the valve 90 degrees (??) to off.

Caution!! The regulator must be reset before you can get gas to your furnace again. Simply opening the valve won't do it. The utility may own the regulator and have the "reset access cap" sealed much like your electric meter seal.

-- earl (ejrobill@pcpostal.com), December 07, 1999.

I have lived in homes (old ones) where there were not valves at each appliance. I have seen fixer-upper homes missing them as well. If you do not see any, this may be the case. Hope this heps, Pete

-- Pete (phytorx@lanset.com), December 07, 1999.

Our gas furnace has a fail-safe arrangement. The pilot light flame keeps a thermocouple warm. The thermocouple is part of a relay controlling a gas supply valve in the furnace itself. As long as it's kept warm the supply valve remains open. When the gas pressure drops, the pilot light (naturally!) goes out, the thermocouple cools quickly, the relay operates, and the supply valve springs shut. When the gas pressure returns, the valve is still closed, requiring a manual restart. The house is not at risk.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), December 07, 1999.

As has been pointed out in various replies above, you're looking for a valve that is next to the gas meter.

How important is it for you that the gas be shut off BEFORE it gets in the house?

For example, at our house, the gas meter is INSIDE THE HOUSE. So is the WATER METER. this means the shutoff valve for our house is ALSO IN THE HOUSE.

Also not every meter has the disc-shaped regulator on it. If you live in a more heavily populated area, there is maybe a single regulator for a set of buildings and they all share a set of low-pressure lines.

-- plonk! (realaddress@hotmail.com), December 07, 1999.

Why do you want to turn the gas off? Do you think there's going to be an earthquake?

-- M (no cute@email.add), December 08, 1999.

All,

Thank you very much for your advice, I really do appreciate it.

My new furnace is in a stacked-stone walled basement (house was built in 1903), which is prone to flooding when the street's sewer grate is blocked. Water, gas and electricity (static or otherwise) is a dangerous combination, especially in my old "basement".

A while back we had a flood, and only a bucket brigade saved the furnace. The electricity was off because a transformer across the street was down (and I thought the gas was too), but now I believe the gas was still "on" because I didn't turn it off at the meter. I thought it was a dangerous situation and wouldn't care to see it repeated, if we have utility glitches or flood problems this coming year.

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), December 08, 1999.