How to Find Your Main Water Shut-off Valve
Weather is becoming more extreme every year. That means higher risks of flash floods and storm surges, even in places normally not used to it. It’s important for us as your property managers and for you as the homeowner to know where your home’s water main shutoff valve is located. Knowing this can prevent catastrophic flood damage, longer-term plumbing damage, and help you stop plumbing leaks. It’s also something that’s just good to know.
There’s no standard location for a water shutoff valve. In Maryland, it is very likely that our water shutoff valve will be inside your home. The first step in finding your main water shutoff valve is figuring out whether your water supply is municipal or well. Usually, if you pay a water bill, the chances are very good that you use municipal water. Your water shutoff valve will almost always be connected to the water meter. The best time to find your main water shutoff valve is before you need to turn the water off in your home.
Where to look inside your house
First, start by going outside to the front of your house. Look for a faucet that comes out from the wall on the outside. This will help you narrow down where the indoor water shutoff valve might be located.
Next, go back inside and to the lowest part of your house (basement or first floor). Remember where you found the outdoor faucet. Walk to the location on your inside wall, about where the outside faucet appears on the outside. If you see either a lever or a wheel valve connected to metal pipes, you’ve likely found your water shutoff valve. Depending upon the type of home, the main water shutoff valve can be in different locations. Sometimes it is on an outside wall at the front of the house. If there is a laundry or utility room, it could be located there. In townhomes, the main shutoff valve can usually be found in the closet under the staircase to the upper level.
Where to look outside your house
For homes in warmer climates, the main water shutoff valve could be located outside your house. You will want to check the faucets connected to your house. There are three places where your shutoff valve may be found. It could be near an outside faucet, in the ground near your curb. You may want to speak with your municipal water service provider about locations and procedures to access the valve.
If you have a private well, you may have two valves to turn off. You should check near your well’s pump and then near the pressure tank.
What you should do next
Once you find it, turn the valve clockwise until it stops. If it’s a lever-style valve, you’ll turn it a quarter turn so that the valve is perpendicular to the pipe it’s connected to. If it’s a wheel-style valve, turn the wheel clockwise until it stops. You should know to do this before an emergency occurs.
It’s important to know that you should proceed slowly when you to turn your water back on. Turning the water on too quickly can damage your plumbing or even cause pipes to burst.