Shut Off Your Water Supply With a Ball Valve
For indoor plumbing, a shut-off mechanism such as a ball valve is extremely useful for cutting off the water. A ball valve can be used to turn off the water to a specific room or an individual appliance such as a washing machine without shutting off the home's entire water supply. It's also durable and won't get stuck, even when it hasn't been used for a long time. Another advantage of a ball valve is that you can see if it's open or closed at a glance.
Brass, bronze, CPVC and PVC ball valves have a lever or handle on top that controls the water flow. This ball valve handle can be turned up to a quarter-turn to slow or shut off the water. It's recommended that you turn the handle slowly to avoid water hammering.
To make the connection to your pipes, ball valves have all sorts of fittings and thread types, including FNTP, push-to-connect, copper sweat, FIP, PEX and more. To learn even more, read our guide — Shut Off Your Home’s Water Supply — for tips on indoor and outdoor shut-off valves.