Why No turn off for Toilet & Electrical Box Outside? (Houston: new home, buy) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Txgal33 · 10-30-2010, 08:21 PM

Just wondering why our low flow toilets do not have shut off valves at the toilet itself?? We have always had individual shut off valves at each toilet in all of our homes. This is the first house that we actually have to go all the way upstairs to turn the toilet off and now my husband is not even sure it will turn it off. We have a toilet that has a constant drip and are trying to shut it down till we can replace the part in the tank. We would call Wilshire but yes, the are no more. Please save any sarcastic remarks. Just looking for a reason why the plumbing would be designed this way.
I have also noticed in a ton of new homes that the main electrical box is no longer in the home or garage but outside. Why is this??? To me this seems to be highly unsafe and if you blow a fuse in a storm who wants to go outside to flip it. Also whose to say somebody who wants in your house can't just come in your back yard and kill the power to your home.

tdhg566 · 10-30-2010, 09:50 PM

I thought it was code that each toilet, indeed each plumbing outlet, needed it's own cut-off. Even if it's not code, it's really, really stupid not to have one - how do you do maintenance on the toilet or faucet? The only reason a builder wouldn't install one is to save money. If I found myself with that situation, I'd install one immediately. Low-flow toilets aren't unique and the lack of a cut-off has nothing to do with the low-flow nature of the toilet.

As for the electrical box, again saving money is the reason builders put the boxes on the outside of the home. Saves them carving out a space in the garage/closet and doing finish drywall work around the box. And your observations are correct. While it might be convenient for the fire department to shut off the electricity in case of a fire, it's also convenient for pranksters and people intending you harm. And it's hugely inconvenient for you to reset a tripped breaker. While the fire department needs a way to shut off the electricity, they can do that by cutting the seal and pulling the meter. Or they can pop open the connector box in the yard if the house can not be approached. But, logical as that might be, in some parts of the country the electrical code says that the box must be on the outside of the home. While it's not a requirement here (at least in Montgomery county where I live), I too have seen some homes with this "feature".

Personally I would never buy a home with either of the above issues

tstone · 10-30-2010, 09:51 PM

Put a lock on the breaker box. They've been doing this for at least 35 years on homes here.

HookTheBrotherUp · 10-31-2010, 07:02 AM

Where do you live, and how old is the house? If you live in the unincorperated areas, almost anything goes. If you live within city limits, you should have a shutoff valve per building codes.

As for circuit boxes, many old homes have them inside. Within the last 20 or so years, building codes have changed and require circuit boxes to be located out of the home.

Also, some old homes have light fixtures above the bath/shower, or switches close to the bath/shower... that is illegal now too. New code says no electrical access within six feet of the bath/shower. Old homes are grandfathered in, however.

Txgal33 · 10-31-2010, 08:05 AM

Home is only 3 years old. I would have thought that the home inspector would have noticed that the toilets did not have the turn off valve. It was not something that we even thought to look at it. There is a little plastic circle where the turn thingy goes so we just thought it was a cheap version but when you turn it it does nothing. As for the electrical box outside it did bother me but a lot of the new homes we had seen had them outside so we were wondering if it was a new code.

tdhg566 · 10-31-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txgal33

Home is only 3 years old. I would have thought that the home inspector would have noticed that the toilets did not have the turn off valve. It was not something that we even thought to look at it. There is a little plastic circle where the turn thingy goes so we just thought it was a cheap version but when you turn it it does nothing. As for the electrical box outside it did bother me but a lot of the new homes we had seen had them outside so we were wondering if it was a new code.

The "plastic circle" thing you see IS likely your shut-off. You push/pull it, rather than turn it. My home is 6 mo old and I have the same type.

Txgal33 · 10-31-2010, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdhg566

The "plastic circle" thing you see IS likely your shut-off. You push/pull it, rather than turn it. My home is 6 mo old and I have the same type.

Thanx! Off to see if that works! Hubby also just told me there are main shut offs up stairs but I still think it is stupid!

Txgal33 · 10-31-2010, 09:15 AM

Nope no push pull on ours.

Txgal33 · 10-31-2010, 09:17 AM

He just clarified that each toilet has a shut off but again they are all upstairs in a closet!!! Why would they do that????? Then there are two main shut offs if the single ones do not work.

HookTheBrotherUp · 10-31-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txgal33

He just clarified that each toilet has a shut off but again they are all upstairs in a closet!!! Why would they do that????? Then there are two main shut offs if the single ones do not work.

I wonder, are your pipes plastic? It seems that is the "new" way of doing things. I used to see this plumbing system installed on those "This Old House" episodes, I guess they've made their way to Houston. It is a cost decision for the builder.

I've got an older home, it's funny to see how it is as compared to the newer "safer" houses... I have a light over the showers, switches within arms reach to turn on the lights, or heat lamps... circuit breaker in the main closet of the master bedroom! Best of all, all copper piping throughout the house, and shutoff valves at every toilet, faucet.