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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

How to Find Your Home's Main Water Shut-Off Valve

2/28/2023 (Permalink)

Hands turning a water valve. A main water shut-off valve is a crucial piece of equipment that can be the difference between a complete disaster and a relatively easy cleanup.

A main water shut-off valve is a crucial piece of equipment that can be the difference between a complete disaster and a relatively easy cleanup. While you should always keep emergency contact numbers near your phone, knowing where your main water shut-off is located in case of an emergency can help save time, money, and stress.

Find the water shut-off valve inside your home

After discovering a leak, the first thing you should do is locate and shut off the main water valve in your home. The water shut-off valve is typically located on the perimeter of your home, usually in a basement, garage, or utility room. Remember, shutting off this valve will cut off the water to the entire house.

Shut off the water close to the source

Toilets, sinks, washing machines, and dishwashers are all common places for leaks to occur. If any of these appliances spring a leak or become otherwise damaged or broken, it would be in your best interest to shut off their corresponding water valves as soon as possible. Here is where you should look for a shut-off valve:

Sink - The shut-off valve is usually right under the sink, attached to the wall.

Toilet - Look underneath your toilet or against the wall behind your toilet to locate the shut-off valves.

Washing Machine - The shut-off valves are most often located behind the washing machine. They are either clearly visible on the wall. If not, you will need to slide the washing machine out from its position to locate the valves.

The shut-off valves should all be easy to find and access. It should also be simple enough for you—or anyone else who might need access—to turn them on their own without much effort.

Find the water shut-off valve outside your home

The next step is to locate the main water shut-off valve outside your home. It will usually be located where your property meets the street or sidewalk and is often marked by a metal or plastic utility box. If you can't find this box on your own, you can contact your local plumber or water cleanup professional to get more information about locating it. Once you've found it, open the lid of this box, and turn the valve.

Locating the water shut-off valve is important

The first step to knowing how to find your home's main water shut-off valve is to know what areas to look in. If there’s an emergency, like a burst pipe or flooding in the basement, you'll want to know where this valve is located so that you can turn off the water supply until repair crews arrive.

The water shut-off valve is one of the most important items you should have in your home. It's easy to find, but make sure that you know where it is and how to use it so that you can turn off your water if there's an emergency. The water shut-off valve can be located inside or outside your home.

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