How do I shut the water off to my house?

This valve is typically located where the water line comes into the house, usually on an outside wall near the front of the house. This shutoff valve can usually be turned off by hand. Just turn the valve handle clockwise to turn off all water to the house. The other valve is located near your water meter.

Where is the water shut-off valve in a home?

If your home was built on a slab, the main water shut-off valve could be located near your hot water heater or inside of your garage. If you cannot find your main water shut-off inside the home, the next place to look is outside, near the front curb.

Is it OK to shut off water main to house?

Shutting off the main valve that controls all the water for your home is the best protection against catastrophic water damage. Everyone in your home should know where the main water shutoff valve is located so they can stop the water in an emergency. And you should turn it off whenever you leave home, even overnight.

How do I know if my main water valve is on?

If the handle on top is parallel to the valve, it's open. Likewise, if the handle is perpendicular to the top, the valve is closed. Common places you might find a ball valve are in irrigation and in sites where you need to control water supply from one area to another.

Do all outdoor faucets have shut off valves?

Exterior faucets should have a separate shutoff valve inside the house, but not all of them do. In older homes, these valves are typically located at the ceiling somewhere close to the outside faucet. In newer homes, the valves are typically located right next to the main water valve, and they're also usually labeled.

How to Locate Your Main Water Shut Off

Will shutting off water hurt water heater?

Realistically there is no danger to having the tank on with the water off. Especially since the tank works off water pressure to supply hot water. The tank pressure will be equal to your water pressure. If there is no inlet water pressure, there will be no outlet water pressure.

Can I shut off the water to my house and safely leave the water heater on while I'm away on vacation for a week?

No. Either turn the water AND the water heater off, or just turn the water heater down to 70F (VAC) and do not turn off the water.

How long does it take for water to stop after you turn it off?

Turning the valve clockwise will close it, reducing the amount of water passing through. It may take a few minutes for the water to stop altogether.

Do all houses have a water shut-off valve?

In all homes, you can shut off the water at the main water cut off valve. This turns off water to the entire house, even outside spigots.

Should I turn the water off when I go away?

Turning off the main water supply to your home is the best defense against flooding caused by a burst pipe or other plumbing failure. "If you're going to have a leaky supply line, it's going to happen while you're away," says Fred Spaulding, president of Quality Home Improvements, Inc., in Kingwood, Texas.

Can I take a shower if my water heater is leaking?

When your water heater is leaking, you can usually take a shower, but it varies depending on the amount of the leak. Most water heater leaks at the drain valve, T&P valve, or delivery pipes, allowing only a tiny quantity of water to escape. If the leak is slight, you can take a shower before repairing it.

Is it OK to leave outdoor faucet on?

Leaving your outdoor faucets exposed can result in water freezing in the pipes within your exterior walls. If you suspect your pipes are already frozen, the best course of action is to turn off the water supply and contact a plumber. You can check if your pipes are frozen by turning on your faucet.

What is the water faucet called on the outside of a house?

A spigot is a faucet, a device to turn water on and off. If you leave a spigot open, the water will keep flowing. In the U.S., most of us call an indoor valve (in the kitchen or bathroom) a faucet, and the outdoor one a spigot.

How do you winterize a outside faucet with a shut-off valve?

Where is the main water valve usually located?

The main water may come through the concrete floor or through the wall. The valve is typically within three to five feet of where the main water enters. In some cases, the main water may enter in a different area, like a mechanical room, up through the floor, near the water heater or furnace.

Which way do you turn the main water valve to shut it off?

In most cases, the master shutoff valve to the home will have a wheel (gate valve) or a straight handle (ball valve). Gate valves (pictured to the right) are operated by turning the wheel clockwise until the water is off. Ball valves are operated by turning the handle a quarter-turn clockwise until the water is off.

Where is the main water line in a house?

The incoming water line usually comes through the foundation near the front side of your house. Follow this line up to the water meter. Just past the meter should be the main water shut-off valve, a red or green handle or knob.

What happens if you don't turn the water off?

If you don't turn off your water before leaving, it will sit stagnant in your pipes. And if any of those pipes or lines happen to fail due to wear, corrosion or breaks, water will flow out at a normal pressure as if a faucet had been turned on.

Can a pipe burst if the water is off?

Can pipes burst if water turned off? Shutting off the water will not keep the pipes from freezing. The water in the pipes could still freeze and burst the pipe. However, shutting off the water can prevent or reduce water damage when a pipe bursts due to freezing and causes water to flow where it's not wanted.

Should faucets be open when turning water back on?

Close all sinks and faucets.

You can leave 1 sink on to help equalize the pressure; any sink will work. Turn it on all the way. Otherwise, every other faucet must be turned off all the way in your home.

How do you tell if a water pipe is on or off?

To determine if a water valve is open or closed, there is a simple general rule you can usually follow. Basically, if the handle is turned 90 degrees to the flow, the valve is switched off.