Shut-off valves are valves that control the supply of water to certain fixtures and appliances in your home and are able to shut off the water supply to a certain fixture or appliance一such as a sink or shower faucet, dishwasher, or toilet一when necessary. In some cases一such as in the case of an emergency water leak or clog一it is necessary to shut off the flow of water to a toilet in your home. Keep reading to learn more about the various toilet shut-off valve types. These are some of the most common types of residential shut-off valves that you might find in your home一depending on how your home was constructed and the type of piping that runs through your home. 

It is important to be able to recognize different types of toilet shut-off valves in case of such an emergency so that you are able to determine how to successfully manipulate the valve to shut off the water supply to the malfunctioning toilet in your home. Learning more about different toilet shut-off valve types will also allow you to replace your own toilet shut-off valves in the case that the types of piping and valves in your home are DIY-ready. 

  1. Multi-Turn Shut-Off Valve 

Multi-turn shut-off valves have threaded stems and must be rotated multiple times to turn on or shut off the water supply that flows through them. Quarter-turn shut-off valves are similar to multi-turn shut-off valves, but these valves only need to be turned 90 degrees to go from fully open to fully closed. 

It can be difficult to tell the multi-turn shut-off valves and quarter-turn shut-off valves, but the stem areas of these two types of valves appear notably different. 

  1. Push-to-Connect Shut-Off Valve 

Push-to-connect shut-off valves are the newest and simplest types of shut-off valves一 which also means they are one of the easiest types of valves to replace on your own without any professional training or experience. 

This shut-off valves一which are also referred to as push-fit or push-on shut-off valves 一are compatible with both copper and plastic pipes. In addition to being extremely easy to install and replace, push-to-connect shut-off valves are also durable, and turning them on and off is simple. 

  1. Compression Shut-Off Valve 

Compression shut-off valves are commonly used in homes with copper or plastic piping. They are durable and can be shut off and turned back on easily. Plus, the process of replacing a compression shut-off valve is simple. 

This type of valve is fairly easy to DIY install, but the use of some special tools can be required so some training or experience may be necessary for the installation of this type of toilet shut-off valve. 

  1. Sweat Fitting Shut-Off Valve 

Sweat fitting shut-off valves are compatible with copper pipes. This type of valve requires skill and experience to install and replace一it is not advisable to try to install or replace a sweat-fitting toilet shut-off valve on your own. Although sweat fitting shut-off valves are cost-effective and very rarely leak, they are also permanent一which significantly complicates the process of repairing and replacing this type of valve. 

  1. Plastic Shut-Off Valve 

There are multiple types of plastic shut-off valves. The two main types of plastic shut-off valves are chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) shut-off valves and cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) shut-off valves. There are key differences between these two types of plastic shut-off valves. 

CPVC shut-off valves are generally only compatible with CPVC piping. These valves are durable and fairly easy to install on your own because they do not require special tools for installation. 

PEX shut-off valves are more cost-effective than copper or brass shut-off valves. Some PEX shut-off valves一PEX clamp shut-off valves一are only compatible with PEX pipes and require special tools for installation, which means that they are difficult to DIY install.

However, other PEX shut-off valves一PEX push-fit shut-off valves一can be attached to PEX pipes, CPVC pipes, and even copper pipes. PEX push-fit shut-off valves are also easy to install on your own, but they are slightly more expensive than PEX clamp shut-off valves一although they are still more affordable than copper and brass shut-off valves.

You more than likely have one of these Shut-Off Valve types in your home. If you would rather have a professional assist with your plumbing needs, make sure to call us at any time.