Find your main water shutoff before you need it

When a pipe bursts, the first job is to close the main shutoff valve and stop the water. After a disaster, closing it also keeps the water in the water heater and the toilet tanks from draining away, and keeps a cracked line from polluting the water in the house. Find the valve now, when nothing is leaking.

What you need

• A flashlight
• Your phone, for photos
• A tag or a bright label and a marker

Steps

1. 1

   Look where the main line comes in

   The shutoff is on the main water line where it enters the house, often through the foundation. Check the basement or crawl space wall, the garage and a utility closet.

   10 min

2. 2

   Know which valve is yours

   The house valve is the one to use. The street valve in the concrete box at the curb is very hard to turn and needs a special tool.

   5 min

3. 3

   Identify the type of valve

   A main shutoff is usually a gate valve, with a round wheel, or a ball valve, with a lever handle. Check that the handle or wheel is there and isn't loose or damaged.

   2 min

4. 4

   Make sure it closes

   Check that you can shut the valve off completely. A valve can rust open or stop closing all the way, and then it needs replacing.

   3 min

5. 5

   Photograph it

   Take one close photo of the valve and one wide photo showing where it is in the room. Save both with your home records.

   3 min

6. 6

   Tag it

   Hang a tag on the valve that says "Main water shutoff", and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is and how to close it.

   2 min

7. 7

   Clear the way

   Move boxes and shelving so you can reach the valve without moving anything.

   3 min

Using the meter to check for a leak

The water meter is usually near the curb in front of the house, or inside, often in the basement, in cold climates. Its lid is heavy and usually marked "water," and a screwdriver lifts it off. Read the meter at a time when no water is being used, then read it again two hours later. If the reading has changed, you probably have a leak.

After a disaster

If the water lines may be cracked, shut the water off at the main valve until the authorities say the water is safe to drink.