How to Find Your Home Water Shut-Off Valve

Water Leak Right Now? Do This First

1. Shut off the main water valve (how to find it is below).
2. Turn off power to the water heater (or set a gas water heater to "pilot") if the water will be off for more than a short time.
3. Open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the pressure out of the pipes.
4. Turn off electricity to any area where water is near outlets or appliances, if you can do it safely.
5. Call a plumber. Our emergency plumbers are available 24/7.

What Does a Water Shut-Off Valve Look Like?

Most homes have one of two kinds of main shut-off valve. Here's what each looks like, with photos from our own jobs.

Ball Valve (Lever Handle)

A straight lever, often red or yellow. When the lever runs along the pipe, the water is on. Turn it a quarter turn so it sits crossways to the pipe to shut the water off. Ball valves are what we install today, because they close fully and rarely stick.

Gate Valve (Round Wheel Handle)

A round handle, like a small steering wheel. Turn it clockwise until it stops, which can take several turns. Gate valves are common in older homes. If one hasn't been turned in years it can stick or break, so don't force it.

Don't confuse it with the pressure-reducing valve. Many homes have a bell-shaped brass valve right next to the main shut-off. That's a pressure-reducing valve (PRV). It controls your water pressure; it doesn't shut the water off, so leave its adjustment screw alone.

Where to Find the Main Shut-Off Inside Your Home

Start on the side of the house that faces the street, since that's usually where the water line comes in. Then check these spots:

• Crawl space: common in Georgia homes. Look near the foundation wall where the pipe comes through. Bring a flashlight.
• Garage: on the wall facing the street, often low, near a hose bib or the water heater.
• Utility closet or near the water heater: follow the cold-water pipe back toward where it enters the house.
• Behind an access panel: a small removable panel in a closet or hallway wall, like the one in the photo above.
• Basement: along the front wall, near where the main line comes through.
• Under the kitchen sink: in some older homes.

Outside: The Valve at the Water Meter

If you can't find a shut-off inside, look for the water meter box, usually a plastic or metal lid in the ground near the street or property line. There's a valve next to the meter that can stop water to the whole house.

• It usually takes a meter key (sold at hardware stores) to turn.
• That valve belongs to your water utility. In an emergency it's your backup, but some utilities prefer you call them to use it.
• If your only shut-off is at the street, it's worth having an easy-to-reach valve added at the house (see below).

Shut-Off Valves for Toilets, Sinks and Appliances

If only one fixture is leaking, you don't need to shut off the whole house. Most fixtures have their own small valve:

• Toilet: on the wall or floor behind the toilet, where the supply line connects.
• Sinks: under the sink, one for hot and one for cold.
• Washing machine: two valves on the wall behind it.
• Water heater: on the cold-water pipe going into the top of the tank.
• Dishwasher and ice maker: usually under the kitchen sink, or behind the fridge.

Still Can't Find It?

• Check your home inspection report from when you bought the house. The plumbing section often shows where the main shut-off is.
• Ask a neighbor with a similar house where theirs is.
• Call your water utility. They can tell you where the meter is.
• Or call us, and we'll find it and label it for you.

Valve Stuck, Leaking, or Hard to Reach? We Can Fix That

A shut-off that won't turn, drips, or sits behind a pile of boxes in the crawl space won't help you in an emergency. Plumb-All can:

• Replace an old gate valve with a full-port ball valve that closes with a quarter turn.
• Add an easy-to-reach main shut-off inside the house, or a new valve box outside.
• Install a smart whole-home water shutoff that shuts the water off automatically when it detects a leak, and lets you turn it off from your phone.
• Replace worn toilet and sink shut-off valves while we're there.

Leaks that keep coming back may need leak detection or water line repair. See all our plumbing repair services.