How to Turn Off the Water in Your Home

The day a water pipe bursts in your home, spraying water everywhere, is not the best time to figure out where your main water shut-off valve is located.

Likewise, if your washing machine is spilling water and your laundry room is flooding, you don’t want to be guessing where to shut off the water.

If a toilet won’t stop filling or flushing, you can handle it quickly if you know where to shut off the water.

So, let’s go over everything you need to know about turning off the water in your home.

Turn Off The Water Closest To The Problem

If water starts flooding out of your dishwasher, it’s important to know whether there is a shut-off valve for it under the kitchen sink. You should find one on a supply hose that runs toward the dishwasher. Turn it clockwise (usually a quarter-turn) to shut off the water.

For these tasks, you should be able to find a shut-off valve close to the plumbing fixture or appliance:

• Removing a washing machine / installing a new one
• Replacing the rubber washer in a leaking faucet
• Installing a new faucet
• Installing a new toilet

But what if you can’t find a shut-off valve near the fixture or appliance? In that case, you’ll need to use the main water shut-off valve.

Turn Off The Main Water Valve

Every home has a main water valve that allows you to completely shut off the supply of city water into your home. If your home has a basement or crawlspace, you will likely find the main water valve on a wall near the front of the house, often right next to your water meter. If your home is on a slab, the main water valve may be near your water heater or sometimes in the garage. In warmer areas, the main water valve and water meter may be outside your home, where the water enters the house (usually near the hot water heater). In some cases, the main shut-off valve is located in a box in your front yard, usually near the sidewalk.

Once you’ve located your main water valve (usually near the water meter), here’s how to shut it off:

• If it’s a tap (usually red), turn it clockwise to shut off the water.
• If it’s a lever, it typically runs in the same direction as the pipe. Turn the lever clockwise, a quarter-turn, so that it’s perpendicular to the pipe.

After shutting off the main water supply, turn on the hot and cold water taps at a sink to release the pressure in the pipes.

Conclusion

If you have trouble finding the main water shut-off valve, need help replacing a faucet or toilet, or are installing a new dishwasher or washing machine, be sure to contact our plumbing experts at Handyside.