Ball valves are an unsung hero of smart plumbing design — especially in a whole house water filtration and softening system. Beyond just turning off water, they offer strategic control over pressure flow, filter service, and emergency response.
At the OC Handyman Services HQ in La Habra Heights, we designed our water system with multiple ball valves that allow pressure to be “shunted” or redirected — a critical feature for both maintenance and emergency scenarios, including wildfire defense.
🔄 What Does “Shunting Pressure” Mean?
To shunt pressure means to redirect water flow around certain components. This is done by opening or closing specific ball valves to:
- Bypass filters for cleaning or swapping without affecting household water use
- Bypass the water softener if maintenance is needed or resin tanks fail
- Bypass the pressure regulator during a fire to get full 125+ PSI to exterior hose bibs for fire defense
✅ Sample Valve Configuration
In our buildout, we used 1” full-port brass ball valves to control:
- Main shutoff to the entire system
- Filter bypass (so filters can be changed without stopping all water)
- Softener bypass (to isolate or remove the softener when needed)
- Regulator bypass (used to shunt full city pressure to dedicated hose bibs for wildfire drenching)
Each valve is clearly labeled and mounted on a 4×6 shed wall near the water entry point — making pressure redirection fast and simple.
🔥 Emergency Use Case: Wildfire Response
Homes in hillside or brush-adjacent areas like La Habra Heights, Altadena, and Malibu are at elevated fire risk. When fire is approaching:
- You may want to drench your defensible space
- You’ll need maximum water pressure, not the regulated 60 PSI
- A bypass valve allows you to temporarily restore full 125+ PSI from the street
Paired with fire hose-ready spigots, this setup can make a real difference.
👉 Related: 0201 – What is Brush Clearance?
🛠️ Maintenance Advantage
Regular filter swaps and softener salt refills are easier when you can shunt off specific lines without disrupting the entire system. This keeps the household running smoothly — even during maintenance.
🧰 Parts You’ll Need
- Full-port 1″ brass ball valves (WATTS, SharkBite, or similar)
- 1” PEX-A or copper pipe compatible fittings
- Mounting board (we used 4×6 plywood inside a Costco shed)
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