Main shut off valve

To see the pictures bigger click on the small ones.

The main shut off valve (shown with the blue handle) is where you can turn the water off to your home.
This particular valve is called a ball valve and is considered the best kind of valve for durabilaty.

This is a picture (below) of a gate valve. These were common in the past and usually break when they haven’t been used often. The stem is susceptible to corrosion and is a common weak part of the valve

A lot of people think that they can repair a gate valve by taking off the valve half that has the handle and gate on it and replacing it. But this is rarely the case because there are thousands of gate valves made and no repair parts made. You would think you could buy a new one and just use the parts from it, but they are rarely a match and you just waste time. Change this valve out for a ball valve. That is the answer. Trust me.
Another Gate valve shown here is threaded on and would not be that difficult to change out.
If you are replacing a valve that is soldered in place it is a good idea to ask the plumber to put it in so it can be unscrewed instead of soldered because it usually costs less to screw them in place. It depends on the preperation like so many jobs in the Plumbing world.
That is why it pays to speak to the plumber before he comes out and if possible the day or two before the work is done. This will give him time to prepare.
If your mainshutoff valve needs repair you will need to turn your water supply off at the meter,usually found at the street curb, many times at the mailbox.
Some cities insist that only they shut off the water at this location but in an emergency you have to do what you have to do.
You can see here that there are different meter keys available. An all purpose key like the yellow one is good to have. The green key is really for a professional because it offers more leverage for shutting off valves that are stubborn.
The slot on a meter valve turns real nice and easy when they are new. If yours is difficult to turn for any reason you should contact your water supplier and have them change it for you. In case of an emergency you need to be able to shut this off. Hopefully your main shut off shown above is in good shape. You should not use the city's shutoff in lieu of yours. However if you develope a leak on the pipe between the meter and your main shut off you won't have a choice. You will have to use the meter's valve.

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