plumbing
I mentioned in a previous question that either our pipe burst or our outdoor faucet broke. It leaked into the house. Our main water line is shut off currently. We can't locate a shut off valve to the outside faucet.
The main water line comes into our utility room. It branches off into 3 lines(2 cold and one hot). Is there a chance that one of the colds is for the exterior faucet only? Is there a "typical" scenario?
I've dealt with these before. The flex pipe is silver soldered into the valve body, probably a product design of the day to dispense with having a problematic compression fitting that would eventually leak.
If you loosen the nut from the pipe nipple, the valve body and flex supply line pipe will be rotatable to position it for a direct lineup to the faucet inlet.
Even if the other end of the metal flex supply line is compatible with the faucet (sounds like it isn't), brass and copper flex work harden from bending into position and can crack if disturbed for later repairs, so I don't recommend reusing it. The only way to fix this is to replace the shutoff valve with a 1/2" to 3/8" right angle shutoff. The newer ones available are nice quarter turn units. Remove the compression fitting nut and ferrule and the 3/8" supply line should thread right on. They use a neoprene flat washer now that gets rid of the leak problem the original silver-soldered supply line was meant to prevent.
It's not a bad idea to turn off the gas while you work on your water system as the water level inside the tank may become unacceptably low, or pressures to high if you shut all the valves off; triggering the T&P relief valve.
You must turn off the gas or power if you have to drain the entire system and the tank.
Best Answer
In colder climates where freezing is common, there is typically a valve to shut off outside faucets just before the plumbing exits the warm interior. If there is not a valve in that location, you'll have to trace the plumbing back and look for a valve along the way.
It's impossible to tell where the 3 branches go, without actually being on location. You'll just have to look around, or hire somebody to do it for you.
It's defiantly possible to install your own valve, and while the main is already shut off is a perfect time. As Fiasco Labs has mentioned, quarter-turn valves are much nicer than gate valves.