How to Shut Off Your Water in a Plumbing Emergency

A supply line under the sink lets go. A pipe bursts in the wall. The toilet keeps running and the water level is not stopping. In any of these situations, every second you spend searching for a shutoff valve is another second of water damage accumulating in your home.

Knowing exactly where your shutoffs are — and how to use them — is one of the most practical things a homeowner can do. It costs nothing, takes about 15 minutes to learn, and can save you thousands of dollars in water damage.

Here is a complete guide to every shutoff valve in your home.

The main shutoff valve controls all water coming into your home. When you turn it off, every faucet, toilet, and appliance in the house goes dry. This is the valve you want in a serious emergency — a burst pipe, a major leak, or any situation where you cannot identify the source fast enough.

Where to find it:

In most Trinity County homes, the main shutoff is in one of these locations:

• Near the water meter, which is typically at the street or near the property line
• Where the main supply line enters the house — often in a utility room, garage, or crawl space
• On an exterior wall of the house, near the front

How to turn it off:

Main shutoffs are usually one of two types:

• Ball valve (lever handle) — turn the lever 90 degrees so it is perpendicular to the pipe. Takes one second.
• Gate valve (round wheel handle) — turn clockwise until it stops. May take several full rotations.

Do this right now: Go find your main shutoff before you ever need it. Make sure it turns freely. If it is stiff, corroded, or will not fully close, call a plumber to have it serviced — a shutoff valve that does not work in an emergency is worse than useless.

Every toilet, sink, and most appliances have individual shutoff valves. These let you isolate a single fixture without cutting water to the whole house.

Look for a small oval or football-shaped valve on the wall or floor behind the toilet, on the supply line. Turn it clockwise to close. If the toilet is overflowing or running uncontrollably, this is your first move.

Under every sink, you will find two valves on the supply lines — one for hot, one for cold. They look like small oval handles or straight-slot valves. Turn clockwise to close.

Behind the washing machine, there are two hose bibs (they look like outdoor spigots) — one for hot, one for cold. Turn them clockwise to close. Important: Washing machine supply hoses are one of the leading causes of home water damage. They should be replaced every 5 years, and the valves should be turned off whenever you leave home for more than a day or two.

Your water heater has a cold water supply valve on the top or side. Close it if the heater is leaking or if you need to service it. There is also a gas shutoff (for gas units) or a circuit breaker (for electric units) that should be turned off before any work on the heater.

If your refrigerator has an ice maker or water dispenser, there is a supply line running to it — usually from under the sink or through the wall. There should be a shutoff valve where the line connects to the supply. Know where it is.

1. Stay calm. Panic leads to bad decisions.
2. Identify the source if you can. Is it a specific fixture? Use the fixture shutoff.
3. If you cannot identify the source or the fixture shutoff is not accessible, go straight to the main valve.
4. Turn off the water.
5. Call a plumber.

Do not try to diagnose the problem while water is actively flowing. Stop the water first, then figure out what happened.

• Open the lowest faucet in the house (a basement or ground-floor faucet) to drain remaining water from the pipes
• Take photos of any visible damage for insurance purposes
• Do not turn the water back on until the problem has been identified and repaired

• I know where my main shutoff valve is
• I have tested it and it turns freely
• I know where the shutoffs are under each sink and behind each toilet
• I have Back 2 Good Plumbing's number saved in my phone: 936-300-2437

Complete this checklist before you need it. Five minutes now can save you thousands later.

Plumbing emergencies do not wait for convenient times. Back 2 Good Plumbing serves Trinity County and Deep East Texas, and we will get to you as fast as we can when something goes wrong.

Save our number now: 936-300-2437. And if you want us to walk through your home and identify all your shutoff locations — or service a main valve that has not been turned in years — give us a call. It is a quick job and worth every penny.