
For ball valves, turn the lever clockwise 90 degrees. To turn the water supply off, give a gate valve a few turns clockwise until you can’t turn it any longer.

For ball valves, when the handle is perpendicular to the pipe, the water is shut off. It may not be permitted for homeowners to use this valve, so contact your water utility company to check. It’s easiest to remember by following the old adage: righty tighty, lefty loosey: to tighten or turn off, you turn to the right (clockwise) to loosen or turn on, you turn toward the left (counter clockwise). Or there may just be one valve, for the city’s use. There may be two valves, one for the homeowner (on the side of the water meter closest to the house) and one for the city (on the side of the water meter closest to the street). There are two shut-off valves on the backflow device, but only the valve closest to your house can be shut off. Since it is not advisable to tamper with the citys. The access panel may require a special tool called a meter key (sold at most hardware stores) to remove the cover. Turning off water at the backflow device. The citys valve is always located on the streetside of your water meter, often near the edge of your yard. It will likely be below an access panel buried in the ground, near the street. There’s usually a water supply shutoff valve next to your water meter outside where the city can easily turn on or off your water. If you can’t find the valve in or around the house, it’s time to hit the street. Start looking for it near your outdoor faucet. In some warmer climates, the shutoff valve may be located outside the home on an exterior wall. In a basement, the pipe will likely be at eye level on main floors, it will often be located lower down. A likely place to start looking is near your water heater. So check out utility areas-such as the garage, laundry room, or basement-along exterior walls facing the street. Water supply pipes from the city typically run from the street side of your house to the indoors. Learn the basics of both and you’ll be prepared for whatever plumbing predicament may arise. So we’ve shared tips on how to turn off water to the entire house or just to specific fixtures and appliances, as needed. RELATED: 10 Plumbing Tips Everyone Needs to KnowĪs there’s no one exact place in every house where water supply valves are located, either, it could take some time to find them-time that you won’t have if water is rapidly soaking through the second-floor ceiling.

Turning ioff wter at water mmeter how to#
So it makes sense to familiarize yourself now with how to turn off the water supply (and educate family members as well) to make regular maintenance easier and even save hundreds or even thousands of dollars of repair costs in a worst-case scenario. What’s more, closing and re-opening the valves periodically will prevent them from getting stuck in place and allow you to inspect them for corrosion or broken connections. Then there are the emergency situations-such as when a pipe bursts somewhere behind the drywall or your bathroom is flooded with water-at which point there’s often very little time to react. You may need to do so for a scheduled plumbing repair or before leaving on a long trip. During your appointment, we’ll inspect your system and help you find your main water valve shut off.Chances are there’ll come a time when you’ll have to turn off the water supply in your home. Get in touch today to schedule a consultation.

Routine maintenance is your first line of defense against major failures and repairs, including leaking water lines. If your home fire sprinkler system has gone off but you’re not experiencing an emergency, turn off the main water supply valve and contact Choate’s HVAC to schedule service. If you experience an emergency, especially one that sets off your home fire sprinkler system, it’s critical that you know how to turn off the main water supply.Īs always, if you experience a medical or fire-related emergency, you should call 911 immediately. This constitutes an emergency, and many contractors are available 24/7 for breaks in the line that could cause major damage to your home. It’s also a good idea to turn the valve off if you live in a cold climate and are going on vacation to prevent the pipes from freezing.Īnother reason you may want to consider turning off your main water supply is a major leak. When you’re replacing water heater or having plumbing repair work done, or renovating a part of your home, the contractor will want to know where the valve is so they can turn it off. To turn off the water at the angle stop, use straight-jaw pliers or a curb stop key (which can be purchased at your local hardware store) to turn the angle stop clockwise about 180 degrees, or until both ears are together. There are a number of times when it’s essential to turn off your main water supply valve.
