How do you find the water shut off valve in an individual unit of condo building?

Question

Our condominium complex was built in the early 1990's. There are 8 units, 4 on each side. We recently had plumbing done and couldn't find the individual unit water shut off valve and had to turn the main water supply off. We asked several people in building where their shut off valve is located but ours is not in the same place. We have been told we are the only ones who must not have an individual shutoff valve in our unit and need to have one added. How can I find out if we have one but it is located in a strange place. And if we don't have one, whose responsibility is it to pay to add it? Ours or the condo association? It seems odd that only one unit out of 8 would not have one.

Answer 1

I have done plumbing work in condos in the past and was never able to find a main shut off in the actual unit. It's an issue of cost, and many condos aren't built any better than apartment buildings. It is possible that the plumber either decided not  to install one or the others were installed after the fact. The shut off should be in a conspicuous place if you have a basement, although I doubt you have, or in a garage.The only other place that would make any sense would be in a closet where the hot water heater is located. If none of these are the case and you haven't noticed an access panel somewhere you don't have one.

Getting one installed could be a problem as it obviously needs to be located on the main line before it branches off to any fixtures. I don't think you are going to have much luck with the association  paying for it either as they are there to mostly bust your chops. Only kidding ( I think ). Really though, buying a condo is like buying a house and you should hire a home inspector to check everything out prior to closing. Even then, there's no guarantee he would have noticed the missing shut off.Most of them now have in their contracts a clause which basically says " if I s***w up and miss something, you can't hold me responsible".

Answer 2

The only way you could positively know for sure if you have a valve, would be to visually inspect all the pipe.  That can only happen if the walls were removed.  Since you are living there, that is not an option.  I doubt there are any blue prints of the building, and even if there was, most residential blue prints don't have pipes drawn on them.  That is left to the plumber that installs the plumbing.  A "good" plumber, might be able to do some investigating, and figure out how the piping is installed, and locate a valve, or install one for you.  As far as who is responsible for paying........ Sorry but that is yours and yours alone. Good luck!

Answer 3

Check around the hotwater heater, there will be one on the cold water inlet of the tank. I have seen some plumbers use this as a main shutoff.  Try cutting it off and check all faucets (cold water).