How to Shut Off the Water to Your House (Before the Emergency)

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the main water shutoff valve?

In warm climates and homes with a slab foundation, the main shutoff is usually in the garage, utility room, or outside near a hose bib. In cold climates, it is in the basement or crawlspace on the wall closest to the street. Follow the largest pipe (typically 3/4 inch or 1 inch copper) from the water meter or well pressure tank to find the first valve.

Which way turns off water?

Clockwise closes. 'Righty tighty' applies to gate valves (round handles you spin). Ball valves (lever handles) close when the handle is perpendicular to the pipe — open when parallel. Do not force a stuck gate valve more than a quarter turn at a time or you may break the stem off inside the valve.

What do I do if my main shutoff is broken?

Call your water utility's emergency line and ask them to shut off at the street, or use a water meter key to close the curb stop valve yourself. The curb stop is under a round or rectangular cast-iron cover in your yard near the street. Insert the key, hook the operator nut, and turn it a quarter turn. After the emergency, replace the broken house valve with a new ball valve.

Should I shut off water when I leave town?

Yes, for any trip longer than 3 days. A small supply-line leak behind a toilet or under a sink can flood the house in hours, and washing machine hoses fail at shocking rates. Shut the main, then open the lowest faucet in the house to relieve pressure. If you heat with hot-water radiators, do not shut off water supply to the boiler feed.

How do I find the curb stop valve in my yard?

Look in your front yard between the house and the street (or sidewalk) for a round or rectangular iron cover about 4-8 inches across, often labeled 'W' or 'WATER.' If snow or grass covers it, a metal detector can find it. Your utility can tell you exactly where it is based on your address — call the non-emergency line and ask.

A burst pipe dumps 4-10 gallons per minute into your house. In the time it takes you to find the shutoff valve for the first time, you can have a flooded kitchen, ruined floors, and a claim on your homeowner’s insurance.

Every adult in the household should know where the main shutoff is, which way it turns, and how to open the meter cover outside as a backup. This takes 10 minutes to learn and saves five-figure repair bills.

Why This Matters Before the Emergency

Water damage is the most common homeowner’s insurance claim — more common than fire or theft. The average burst-pipe claim is $10,000-$20,000.

Most of that cost is not the plumber. It is:

• Drywall removal and replacement
• Flooring replacement (especially if water reaches subfloor)
• Mold remediation if you don’t dry it out fast enough
• Moldy cabinets, ruined baseboards, damaged furniture

Every minute water is flowing, the damage grows. Knowing where the shutoff is cuts the cost dramatically.

The Four Places Water Can Be Shut Off

In order from closest to the fixture to the entire system:

1. Fixture shutoff — under a sink, behind a toilet, behind a washing machine
2. Branch line shutoff — a valve on the line feeding an entire room (not always present)
3. Main house shutoff — inside the house, one valve controls everything
4. Curb stop / street shutoff — in the yard, controlled by the water utility

If a single fixture is leaking, use the fixture shutoff (step 1). If a supply line has burst in the wall, use the main house shutoff (step 3). If the main valve is broken or stuck, use the curb stop (step 4).

Step 1: Find Your Main House Shutoff (Do This Today)

Location depends on your climate and foundation.

Cold climates (freezing winters):

• Main shutoff is in the basement or crawlspace
• Look on the wall closest to the street
• Follow the water meter — the shutoff is usually just before or just after it
• If you have a well, the shutoff is near the pressure tank

Warm climates (no freezing):

• Garage, utility room, or outside near a hose bib
• Sometimes behind an access panel on the house’s exterior
• Often near the water heater

If you cannot find it:

• Check near the water heater — many mains run past it
• Look along the exterior wall facing the street
• Call your water utility and ask — they have maps

The main shutoff is usually a gate valve (round handle) in older homes or a ball valve (lever) in newer/remodeled homes. Both work. Ball valves are easier to operate — if your gate valve is leaky, stiff, or old (brass stem turned green), plan to have it replaced with a full-port ball valve next time you do any plumbing work.

Step 2: Learn Which Way to Turn It

“Righty tighty, lefty loosey” applies here too.

Gate valve (round handle):

• Turn clockwise (right) to close
• Turn counterclockwise (left) to open
• Takes 5-15 full turns end to end
• Gate valves that haven’t moved in years can stick — turn gently, a quarter turn at a time

Ball valve (lever handle):

• Handle perpendicular to the pipe = closed
• Handle parallel to the pipe = open
• Moves only 90 degrees — do not force past stop
• A ball valve with a missing or loose handle can be operated with a wrench on the square shaft

Test it now. Turn the main off, then walk to a sink and run water. It should dribble and stop within a minute. Turn it back on and confirm water returns.

Important: If the valve is extremely stiff and you cannot turn it by hand, don’t crank on it with pliers. Old brass gate valve stems snap. Schedule a plumber to replace it with a ball valve during non-emergency time.

Step 3: Teach Everyone in the House

Walk every adult (and competent teenager) to the valve. Show them:

1. Where it is
2. Which way turns it off
3. What tools, if any, they need

Post instructions near the valve. A laminated card taped to the wall with:

MAIN WATER SHUTOFF
Turn CLOCKWISE to close.
Emergency water utility: [phone number]
Plumber: [phone number]

If your family is away from home when a pipe bursts, the neighbor or tenant who discovers it needs to find the valve in seconds.

Step 4: Find the Curb Stop (Street Shutoff)

The curb stop is the water utility’s shutoff. It is used when the house shutoff is broken or inaccessible.

Location:

• In your front yard between the house and the street
• Usually within 5 feet of the property line
• Under a round or rectangular iron cover, 4-8 inches across
• Covers often say WATER, W, or the utility’s name

Covers get buried under grass, mulch, or snow. Note the location now, in good weather.

If you cannot find it:

• Check the area between the sidewalk and curb (the “parkway”)
• Call your water utility — they have meter location records
• Use a metal detector to find buried iron covers

Step 5: Get a Water Meter Key

The curb stop valve is not operated by a standard wrench. It uses a water meter key — a long T-handled tool with a forked end.

Cost: $15-30.

Keep one in the garage along with other emergency tools. If you ever need to use the curb stop, you will not have time to buy one.

How to use it:

1. Pry off the cover with a screwdriver or the edge of the key
2. Clear dirt or water from inside the pit
3. Find the square operating nut (or a lever on newer valves)
4. Insert the key’s fork over the nut
5. Turn 90 degrees — usually clockwise, but some utilities mark the direction
6. Confirm water is off at a house faucet

Some utilities will ticket homeowners for operating the curb stop in non-emergency situations. In a true emergency (burst pipe, no working house shutoff), use it and deal with any paperwork afterward.

Step 6: Know the Fixture Shutoffs Too

Before a pipe bursts, every fixture in the house should have a working shutoff:

Under every sink: Two small valves (hot and cold) with oval or round handles. Turn clockwise to close.

Behind every toilet: One valve where the supply line meets the wall or floor. Clockwise to close.

Behind the washing machine: Two valves (hot and cold) or a single lever-operated dual shutoff. Close these whenever the washer isn’t running — washer hose failures are a top source of flood claims.

At the water heater: A dedicated shutoff on the cold supply line entering the tank.

At the dishwasher: Usually tied into the kitchen sink hot shutoff — no dedicated valve.

At outside hose bibs: Interior shutoffs for exterior faucets (winterize these in cold climates).

Test each one. Many fixture shutoffs have not been turned in years and are frozen with mineral buildup. If one won’t close all the way, replace it next time you do fixture work. A $5 valve now is cheaper than a $2,000 water damage claim later.

What to Do When a Pipe Bursts

1. Shut off the main — fastest way to stop water
2. Open the lowest faucet in the house to drain pressure from the lines
3. Turn off the water heater (electric: breaker; gas: set to pilot or vacation) so it doesn’t burn out running dry
4. If water is near electrical outlets or the panel, shut off the main electrical breaker before wading through water
5. Document with photos for insurance
6. Call a plumber for the repair and a water damage company (DKI, ServiceMaster, SERVPRO) for cleanup

Do not wait for the plumber or cleanup crew before shutting off water. Every minute matters.

Before You Leave Town

For trips over 3 days:

1. Shut off the main
2. Open a low faucet (kitchen sink is fine) to drain pressure
3. Turn the water heater down or to vacation mode so it doesn’t cycle needlessly for weeks
4. Unplug or shut off the ice maker and washing machine (the solenoid valves can fail, leaking even with main closed)

Exceptions:

• Hydronic (hot water radiator) heat in winter — do not shut off supply to the boiler feed; the system needs makeup water
• Sprinkler systems in freezing weather — winterize separately; don’t rely on main shutoff
• If someone else is feeding pets or watering plants — leave water on but shut each fixture at its own valve

Valves You Should Replace Before They Fail

The three highest-risk points in a typical home:

1. The main house shutoff — if it is a 30+ year old gate valve, replace it with a ball valve. A $50 part plus $200-400 plumber. Once done, you have a reliable shutoff for decades.
2. Washing machine supply valves — replace rubber hoses with stainless steel braided hoses every time you change the washer. Add automatic shutoff valves for sets that hold high water pressure.
3. Toilet supply valves — older chrome stops corrode. Replacing a stuck toilet valve during a weekend is painless; replacing one because the toilet is overflowing is not.

Smart Water Shutoffs (The Insurance Upgrade)

For $400-800 plus install, smart water shutoff valves like Flo by Moen and Phyn Plus monitor flow and automatically close the main if they detect a leak pattern (sustained flow at 3am, for example).

Worth it if:

• You travel often and the house is empty
• You have a second home
• Your insurance offers a discount for installation (USAA, State Farm, and several others offer 5-15% off)

Not worth it if:

• Someone is home most days
• Your home has an easy-to-reach main shutoff that everyone knows how to use

The 10-Minute Homework Assignment

Right now, before you finish this article:

1. Walk to your main shutoff
2. Note the type (ball or gate)
3. Turn it off, then back on, to confirm it works
4. Show one other person in the house where it is
5. Write the location on a card near your electrical panel

You have just potentially saved tens of thousands of dollars.

Related Reading

• How to Fix Low Water Pressure — what to do when the valve doesn’t help
• How to Fix a Running Toilet — fix the #1 toilet issue
• Water Heater Troubleshooting Guide — for water heater emergencies
• Winterize Your Home Checklist — cold-weather prep including shutoff checks
• Annual Home Maintenance Schedule — when to test shutoff valves