If they won't get stepped on, smashed, or freeze, should be alright.
Gate valves used to be, now they are being superseded by ball valves.
An air-intake engine shut-off valve regulates air-flow to the motor, and operates as an emergency shut-off valve. There are also shut-off valves on water hoses, so shut-off valves really control the inflow of any liquid or gas.
By hiring a plumber...
Tubs usually do not have shut off valve for them. You have to shut off the main supply. Depending on how the house is plumbed, you may be able to shut the cold supply to the water heater and that will shut off both the hot and cold or the main line where it comes into the house.
If you have your own water heater there should be a shut off at the heater. If not I would look under the kitchen sink. There may be shut off valves at each fixture. If there is a central water heater in the basement, there would be a shut off to each unit.
Find your main water shut off, make sure valve is open wide. check other exsisting shut off valves make sure they are open. With all valves properly open if pressure is still low, call the water supply company and have them check it at the curb.
Find your main water shut off, make sure valve is open wide. check other exsisting shut off valves make sure they are open. With all valves properly open if pressure is still low, call the water supply company and have them check it at the curb.
As long as there are working valves to shut off the hose at the washing machine connection, you do not need to shut off the main. If there are no valves there or they do not work, you must shut off the main before starting and then take advantage of this time to install shutoff valves as well.
In every home thee are a number of shut-off valves. Where the water pipe enters the house is the main shut off, usually beside the PRV, a bell shaped device for regulating the house pressure. This main cold line will then branch off to the water heater, bathrooms and kitchen. Each faucet and the water heater and the toilet will have a shut-off valve. The hot water line comes out of the top of the heater and goes to bathrooms and kitchen. Each hot faucet also has a shut-off valve under it.
The washer in the shut off valve has probably split or come off completely over time.
A valve in a plumbing line that closes the line before the fixture it is connected to. For water there are usually shut off valves under the sink and right above the floor for the toilet. For gas, there is usually a valve that a flexible line attaches to and then to the appliance.
As long as the water doesn't drain out of the heater somehow, no. What kind of car are we working on...