Finding Your Main Water Shut-Off
Short answer: there's a valve in the meter box near the street, and many homes also have a house valve where the line enters, often near the water heater, in the garage or under the house. Find yours before you need it.
Request a plumberAt the meter
The meter box near the curb has a valve; a meter key from a hardware store makes it easier to turn.
At the house
Look where the line enters: an outside wall, the garage, near the water heater or in the crawl space.
How to close it
Turn clockwise until it stops.
Exercise it
Close and reopen it once a year so it doesn't seize.
Fixture valves
Toilets and sinks have small shut-offs underneath for quick repairs.
Water heater
The cold valve on top of the tank stops water from flowing into it.
Label it
Tag the valve so everyone in the house can find it quickly.
If it's stuck
Don't force it; a plumber can replace a worn valve.
Crawl space homes
In raised homes the house valve is sometimes under the floor near where the line comes up. Find it in daylight, not during a flood.
Next
See emergency plumbing.
More plumbing guides
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