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-   -   Can you shut off valve on the toilet for a few weeks (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=517821)

  • Oct 18, 2010, 08:07 AM
    dotame
    Can you shut off valve on the toilet for a few weeks
  • Oct 18, 2010, 08:43 AM
    ballengerb1

    Certainly but can you tell us why you need to? If your fill valve is leaking and refilling the tank shutting the valve would save you water but so would fixing the valve. What's up with your toilet issue?
  • Oct 18, 2010, 12:27 PM
    ma0641
    Sure. Many people do this when going away on vacation, particularly if the house shut off is hard to get to.
  • Oct 18, 2010, 12:39 PM
    speedball1
    Of course you can! But if you're going on vacation why not protect the entire house by shutting off the water at the meter or the house shutoff. It's the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy. Good luck, Tom
  • Oct 18, 2010, 04:57 PM
    dotame
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    The last time I went on vacation I there was a problem with the toilet and it ran for nine days before the landlord found it. I had a water bill of several hundred dollars. Just wanted to know if I could do this and play it safe this time.
  • Oct 18, 2010, 04:58 PM
    dotame
    Comment on speedball1's post
    Thanks for the advice
  • Oct 18, 2010, 04:59 PM
    dotame
    Comment on ma0641's post
    Thanks for the answer
  • Oct 18, 2010, 05:20 PM
    ballengerb1

    Each unit should have its own main shut off valve which would stop all water to the apartment/unit. This would be the safest thing since it was the toilet last time but could be something else next time.
  • Oct 18, 2010, 06:55 PM
    massplumber2008

    Hi Dotame...

    Not to be a smartaker here, but it's the landlord's toilet so it's really the landlord's issue not yours.

    In other words, just as an example, say you shut the shutoff off and the shutoff leaks or better yet fails to reopen when you return causing the owner to have to call a plumber in to fix the shutoff or the leak... will the landlord pay or will he/she try to charge you?

    See, the way I see it, unless the owner asked you to mess with the shutoff and is willing to acknowledge that issues like I mentioned above can happen AND he/she is willing to take full responsibility then I have to advise against touching the plumbing.

    You would not believe how many disputes I've seen arise and even end up in court where tenants were just "trying to be helpful"... ;)

    Just presenting another perspective...

    Mark

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