Plumbing – Solutions for a difficult-to-reach shut-off valve

plumbingshutoff

To access the shut-off valve in my condo, I need to physically enter the crawlspace and squeeze through a knee wall, all the while avoiding ductwork, cables, and other pipes. The photo below is taken from the crawlspace access hatch. The valve is probably about three feet from the opening, so well out of arms' reach.

The condo is rented part of the year, so I would like to make a way to easily shut off water to the whole unit in case of a leak, or if plumbing repairs are needed. I can't expect renters to enter this space and shutoff the water, meaning any leak would last as long is it took a plumber to come out. There is an outdoor shutoff, but it's under a sealed manhole cover in a row of unlabeled shutoffs for the other units.

Here are solutions I've considered:

  • Create a second way to access the valve in the floor directly above it. This would be under a staircase, so would still require some crawling, but would be significantly more accessible.
  • Remove the valve and insert some elbows and additional tubing so that it could be relocated right inside the existing crawlspace access hatch. To do this I would have to pay the water utility to shut the water off in the street, in order to be able to move the existing valve.
  • Add a second, redundant valve, downstream from the existing one (so I don't need to call/pay the utility).
  • Relocate the brackets holding the tubing and try to pull it to the access (the tubing is all pex). Given location of the studs and ductwork, I'm not sure if I could even get it close enough.
  • Replace the valve with an electrically-controlled valve. These are expensive and wouldn't work during a power outage.
  • Rotate the valve (is this possible?) so it faces the opening, then set up some sort of stop tap key to engage the valve. I could zip-tie the key to the valve and run it through a bracket in the framing so it would always be in the right spot.

Would any of these ideas work? Are there others I'm not considering?

Plumbing in crawlspace

Best Answer

crip659 is correct.

I vote for option #2.

You do not have to have the water utility shut off the water for option 2.

Turn off the valve, cut into the line on the house side of the existing valve, (not the city supply side). Add your elbows, piping and a 1/4 turn valve, then tie it back in to the line. Open the first valve and then your new 1/4 turn valve and you are good.