When you live on the west coast, you are rewarded with the proximity to the Pacific Ocean and, for the most part, some fantastic weather. But there is always a price to be paid for everything. And for those living near the coastline, earthquakes are a way of life. Each year a few dozen quakes of various levels shake things up a bit. And when that occurs, you want the peace of mind of knowing that an earthquake shut-off valve protects your home.

What Is An Earthquake Shut-Off Valve?

Earthquake natural gas shut-off valves, also known as seismic natural gas shut-off valves, are a safety feature that can literally save your family and home from disaster. The valve is triggered to shut off natural gas flow into your home when the shaking reaches a preset level. Most valves are set to activate at between 5.2 and 5.4 on the Richter Scale. And by closing the valve and stopping the flow of gas into your home, it substantially reduces the potential for an explosion or fire.

The Benefits Of A Seismic Shut-Off Valve

Being in an earthquake can be a terrifying experience. And the last thing that you need to be worried about is a fire or explosion because of a damaged gas line in your home. An earthquake shut-off valve is a small investment for all of the benefits that it offers.

Gas Line Safety: Even a small amount of motion can damage your home’s gas line enough to create a dangerous leak. But you are focused on keeping your family safe from the earthquake, so you might not even notice that the air is permeated with deadly gas. And by the time you realized that the rotten egg odor is a gas leak, you, your loved ones, and even your pets could already be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. However, with a gas line shut-off valve, you and your family are not in danger because the gas is automatically shut off.

Added Insurance: Of course, you have homeowners insurance. But that is one item that you hope never to use. The damage to your home from an earthquake is terrible enough. But if a gas line ruptures, you are likely to watch your home and all of your belongings go up in smoke. And that is if you are fortunate enough to escape after the initial explosion or fire. A gas line shut-off valve eliminates the potentially life-threatening scenarios by stopping the flow of gas into your home as soon as there is a seismic event.

Insurance And Deductible Savings: Even if you have insurance, you will be paying a deductible and for anything that the policy does not cover from the fire damage. But with the shut-off valve in place, no fire will occur, and you can forget about that worry. Also, some insurance providers even reward your proactive installation of a shut-off valve with lower insurance rates.

No one ever wants to think about enduring a severe earthquake. But depending on where you live, the potential could be reasonably high. So it is vital that you take all the precautions you can to protect your home and your loved ones. The installation of an earthquake shut-off valve is a simple and affordable way to increase the safety of your home. To learn more about this added layer of protection and peace of mind, call (706) 303-0987. The team at Drain Surgeon has years of expertise in installing these valves for our customers in the area. And we would be happy to provide you with a free estimate.