Find your main water shutoff before you need it
A burst pipe can soak a floor in minutes. Knowing where your shutoff is, and how to turn it, is the single most useful thing you can learn about your house.
When a pipe bursts or a supply line lets go, every minute the water runs means more ruined flooring and drywall. The fix starts with one valve: the main shutoff, which stops all water coming into the house. Most people don't know where theirs is until the day they're standing in an inch of water.
Take ten minutes now to find it, test it and label it. You'll also learn about the smaller shutoffs at each fixture, which let you stop a single leak without cutting water to the whole house.
Where the main shutoff usually is
The main valve sits where the water line enters your home, usually on the same side of the house as the water meter. Climate makes a big difference. In colder areas the valve is usually inside the house. In warmer areas it's often outdoors.
Check these spots, in roughly this order:
- Basement. Look along the front wall facing the street, near the floor or where a pipe comes through the foundation.
- Crawlspace. Near the access door or on the street side. Bring a flashlight and watch for nails and wiring.
- Garage. Common in slab homes, often low on the wall shared with the house or near the water heater.
- Utility closet or laundry area. Sometimes at the back of a closet on the ground floor.
- Near the water heater. The main line sometimes runs close by. Don't confuse the main with the valve on the water heater's cold inlet pipe, which only controls the heater.
- Outside. On an exterior wall, or in a buried box in the yard or near the curb, often with a lid marked "water."
Still can't find it? Your home inspection report often lists it. Renters should ask the landlord or building manager, and in an apartment the valve may be in a shared mechanical room.
Gate valve or ball valve
Once you find it, look at the handle. It tells you how the valve works.
| Type | What it looks like | How to close it |
|---|---|---|
| Gate valve | Round handle, like an outdoor spigot. Common in older homes. | Turn clockwise several full turns until it stops. Older gate valves can seize, so go gently. |
| Ball valve | Straight lever handle. Common in newer homes. | A quarter turn. Lever in line with the pipe means open; crosswise to the pipe means closed. |
Shutting off at the curb or meter box
Some houses, especially slab homes without a basement or crawlspace, have the shutoff in the meter box near the street. These valves usually need a curb key, a long T-shaped metal tool with a notch that fits over the valve. Turn it clockwise until it stops, without cranking hard.
The meter box belongs to the water utility in many areas. If you don't have a curb key or aren't sure you're allowed to use the valve, call your utility. Keep its phone number on your emergency card.
Fixture shutoffs: the small valves that save the day
Most toilets, sinks and dishwashers have their own shutoff valve, sometimes called a stop or angle stop, where the supply line leaves the wall or floor. The water heater has one on its cold inlet. Use these first when the leak is at one fixture, so the rest of the house keeps water.
Turn them clockwise to close. If one drips from the stem after you turn it, a quarter turn back usually stops it until you can replace the valve.
Test it, then label it
- Turn on a faucet. Open a sink tap so you can see when the water stops.
- Close the main valve. Turn slowly and stop when it's snug. The faucet should slow to a trickle and stop.
- Reopen the valve. Turn it fully open.
- Tag it. Hang a bright tag or paint the handle so anyone in the house can spot it in a hurry.
- Write it down. Note the location on our free printable home emergency card and keep it on the fridge. If the valve needs a tool, store the tool right next to it.
When to call a pro
Call a plumber if the main valve is seized, leaks at the stem, won't fully stop the water, or you simply can't find it. A plumber can also swap an old gate valve for a quarter-turn ball valve that's easier to close in a hurry. The water utility may need to shut off service at the meter first, so plan for that.
Next steps
- Learn to stop a toilet overflow, the most common reason people go hunting for a shutoff.
- Getting ready for cold weather? See how to prevent frozen pipes.
- Find your breaker panel while you're at it.
Common questions
Which way do I turn a water shutoff valve to close it?
A round-handle gate valve closes clockwise (righty-tighty), usually with several full turns. A lever-style ball valve closes with a quarter turn, until the handle sits crosswise to the pipe.
What if my main shutoff valve is stuck?
Don't force it with a pipe wrench, because an old valve can snap or start leaking. Close the fixture shutoffs you can reach, call your water utility about shutting off at the meter, and have a plumber replace the valve.
Do I need special tools to shut off water at the curb or meter box?
Usually yes. Meter-box valves typically need a curb key, a long T-shaped tool with a notched end. If you don't have one or aren't sure you should use the valve, call your water utility.
Should I turn off the water heater when I shut off the main?
If you have an electric water heater and are shutting off its water supply, turn off its breaker first so the heating elements don't burn out. For a gas heater, follow the instructions on its label.