I also have this 4-in-1 tool in my CERT bag. It worked great in training. One day I was about to do a minor plumbing job at the house and tried to use it on the water valve next to the water meter (in a box in the ground). The valve would not move. I attached vice grips to the 4-in-1, but that did not provide enough leverage. I tried other makeshift tools but to no avail. I finally called the water department, who sent out a nice guy with a "T" tool about 4-feet across. Even with that amount of leverage, it still took us both to finally close the valve. The water guy told me that after a few decades, the valves are REALLY tough to move. Telling this story to a fire inspector friend of mine later, he told me this is the reason that the hydrant and fire sprinkler valves in our city are cycled once a year.

That's the one I got, too. I notice that it's non-sparking, and other suggestion tools may create sparks. If you're gas is leaking sparks are not good.

the water company i deal with most face-to-face frowns on using their side of the meter as a shut-off valve. their experience is, as mentioned in a previous post above, that the valve becomes frozen and can break when forced.

if that happens you've created a situation where you will have to call the water company to remedy. they will then need to shut off the water to the street - thereby affecting not only your water, but your neighbors. unpleasant at best.

the solution is to have a ball valve (not a gate valve) on your side of the meter - somewhere between the meter and the house. then you can operate it once a year or so to keep it free.

when i recently had a water company relocate their meter they installed - at no cost - a solid brass, industrial strength ball valve on my side of the meter that fit inside their concrete vault. they wanted to prevent future damage to their valve.

i don't think most water companies would do this w/o charge. but imho it's well worth the cost to have a plumber either change yours (a lot of homes have the gate valves) to a ball valve or install a new one in-line for you.

now you have no need for a tool that may wander.

For those in earthquake country and other places where you really would need to turn off the gas, I wonder if it is possible to have the gas company come out and make sure the valve isn't rusted or stuck or painted over?

It would be nice if there was a quake for the lady of the house to be able to grab the wrench and turn off the gas if you aren't home. All she would have to do is know where the meter is, know where the wrench is, and that the thing will turn without requiring excessive force.

After all, Murphy's Law dictates that if a quake hits, you won't be home.

Sue

My shutoff valve is set in a nice concrete box buried in the ground. We have had to turn off the gas a few times and it works quite easily. Everyone in the house should know where and how to turn off all the utilities.

Somehow, the MOTH is always away when the earth shakes...

Please explain your point about pilot lights being lit. I know about zero regarding that issue. So, start from zero, thanks.

Turning the valve off and on is not something they may like, but you should do it once or twice a year anyway. If you try and cannot move it, call them and have it fixed. Then you can keep it free or know when to call them if it is not. You should know where and how to shut off gas, water and electricity. You may choose not to shut off electricity on a regular basis if, like my area, the only way to do it is to remove the meter. If that is your only option you should know how to do it. I have needed to do it several times when I was working in the service panel. I know I should install a master shut off but I keep putting it off till I replace the panel, which I need to do.

Respectfully,

Jerry

I may be wrong but By properly lit i think he means multiple things. First for water heaters with a pilot light there is a array of steps you have to take before lighting them. Often the instructions are found on a sticker on the heater. Also the Oven and stove pilot lights are properly lit if they do in fact have pilot lights witch mostly the older ones do.

Around here if you want anyone to come out and turn the valve off or on its an $85 trip charge.
First time I ever turned the gas off I found the valve would just keep turning in circles and never stopped. I then had to go in the house and light the stove and wait a few minutes to see if it burned up what was in the line or not. When it didn't go out I'd go back outside and turn the valve a little and go in and check again finally getting it to off. Moved the pipe I needed moved then put on a shutoff valve at the wall and went outside and turned the valve a little at a time until i got the stove to light again. Figured out it was a 1/4 turn valve without a stop.

A lot of valves prior to the 40s were quixotic. Some used oddball keys to operate and many, as noted, lacked stops and any clear indication of valve position. One I came across, quite a well built unit in what looked like solid bronze, had a recessed square-head that made using anything but the specific key made for it difficult.

Generally the modern valves have stops and a handle, or the operating head, that indicated condition. It is parallel to the supply pipes when on and perpendicular to them when off.