a licensed plumber can freeze the pipe inside the house and change the mainline valve without messing with that in ground valve and save you from having to dig it up and change it if it breaks...
Below-ground water shutoff question
The water line running into our house has a below-ground water shutoff about halfway between the house and the street. It is like an emergency shutoff I think. There is a cap that covers a cylinder with the shutoff. I need to use it because none of the shutoffs in our house work (it's a very old house, and the water slows down but doesn't fully shut off). In order to do this I will need a water key but then which way do I turn it and how much? The thing looks so old I don't want to force it the wrong way or too much and cause a leak in it. And what if I get a leak anyway, is there some plumbers trick to stop it?
Here's what it looks like:
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Here's what it looks like:
