How to Find and Shut Off Your Main Water Valve

Common locations

Look along the wall facing the street.

In warm climates the valve may be outside near the foundation or in a box by the curb.

• Basement wall where the line enters
• Utility room or near the water heater
• Garage
• Crawl space access area
• Outdoor meter box

Closing the valve

Gate valves (round handles) turn clockwise several times. Ball valves (lever handles) turn a quarter turn. Then open a low faucet to drain pressure.

If it will not turn

Do not force it with excessive leverage — old valves can break. A meter-box valve may need a meter key; your water utility may be able to help.

Find it before you need it

Locate and label the valve now so everyone in the household knows where it is.

If you cannot identify the right valve

A valve may serve a fixture, appliance, unit or entire building. In a rented or shared property, contact the responsible building representative if the main shutoff is unclear. Describe the active leak and the accessible valve without assuming that a nearby handle controls the affected pipe.

Do not enter water or a hazardous equipment area to find a valve. If the accessible valve will not turn, arrange qualified help instead of forcing the mechanism and potentially creating a second leak.

After the source is controlled

Note which fixtures lost water and whether the leak actually stopped. A repair professional can confirm the isolation and explain how service will be restored. Keep the valve location available for other occupants, then inspect the affected building materials separately from the plumbing repair.