How to Shut Off Your Water Supply

Every homeowner should know how to turn off the main water supply in the event of an emergency. After a natural disaster--a tornado, hurricane, or earthquake --you may need to shut down the water immediately to prevent additional damage from flooding. In an unexpected, unseasonable deep freeze, you may want to shut off the water supply to unwrapped, un-insulated plumbing to prevent bursting. And, it's helpful to know how to shut off the water supply to your shower, toilet, sinks, or outdoor sprinklers that require repair work.

Shutting off Your Water Supply: The Basics

The simplest way to shut off water supply to your plumbing is at the main house valve. While there are shut off valves inside the home for many fixtures, they may not be out in the open. You may want to ask a plumber to come out and show you how to access the necessary valves for turning off the supply. The main valve typically is located outdoors where a pipe is fed into your home via the water meter.

Meters are sometimes buried inside a meter vault beneath a small cover. You can usually turn off the main supply with a pipe wrench or vice grip. You'll want to locate the shutoff valve on the side of the meter where the source feeds from the ground, called the supply side. Turn the valve until it is perpendicular to the length of the pipe.

When to Call a Plumber

In some instances, your water supply will have a shutoff valve on a stem on a wide-bore pipe emerging from the ground against your house. Valves are closed by turning them in a clockwise direction. If in doubt, call a plumber.