Where is Your Main Shut-Off Valve Located?

If you have a plumbing problem in your home, such as a burst pipe, it is crucial to know where your main shut-off valve is in your home. If you don’t know where it is, it is important that you find it and know how to turn the water off in other areas of your home as well.

Locate the Valve

You can check a property inspection report for the location of the main shut-off valve. If you don’t have a report, the valve should be along the side of your home that faces the street. A water line coming from a city supply will enter your home from the road. Start looking in the areas of your home that are closest to the city water supply.

There should also be a shut-off location at your property line that is ground level. The water company controls this valve. If you have a significant flood and need your water shut off by the city, they will instruct you or send emergency help to get your water shut off.

Types of Valves

The main shut-off valve in your home should have a round or knife style valve. The rounded handle looks like what you would turn for an outside faucet you connect a hose to, while a knife style can only be twisted one way and runs along the pipe.

Isolating the Leak

If you have a smaller leak, such as with your toilet or washing machine, you can separate the water you shut-off by turning off the valves at the source.

Washing Machine

You should have water valves behind your clothes washing machine. You may have to move the machine to get to them. You can turn these off to get water to stop flowing to your machine if it has a leak or there is a leaking pipe.

Toilet

If your toilet leaks, there should be a handle to turn off the water behind the toilet and against the wall.

Sinks

Most sinks will have water valves in the cabinet under them. You can shut the valves to the sink off and control the leak.

If you need help with drain and plumbing repairs in Sacramento, call Mr. Rooter to help get everything working again!