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It’s not uncommon to experience leaks from a faucet or old toilet flapper, and it’s important to check outdoor irrigation systems and sprinklers, too. If you want to turn off hot water to your house you simply turn off the valve on the hot water pipe. To turn off cold water supply to the water heater you will need to turn the valve on the cold water line. The cold water pipe supplies it with cold water while the hot water pipe supplies it with hot water. Your refrigerator’s shut off valve will be located on the wall behind the refrigerator or underneath the kitchen sink.
Locate the Water Meter
The panel may also be found on the basement or ceiling of the underneath floor. If the shut off valve is on the wall behind the refrigerator, pull the refrigerator forward gently to access the shut off valve and turn it clockwise. For a refrigerator with a shut off valve under the kitchen sink, take your time to locate the right valve and turn it clockwise as well. It is supplied with cold water by a supply line which is connected to the toilet fill valve from underneath the toilet tank. In case of emergency or necessity, knowing the location and how to access these external water shut-off points is crucial for building owners or designated personnel responsible for property management.
Common Main Shutoff Valve Locations
However, there are several methods you can use to find the main water shutoff valve at home. The shutoff to your refrigerator’s icemaker supply line might be located under the sink or in the basement. If your shutoff valve looks like the one here, a saddle valve, consider replacing it with a standard shutoff valve. Saddle valves are notoriously leaky and prone to clogging, and they’re also against building codes in a lot of places. It’s not every day a homeowner needs to turn off the water to the house using the main water control valve. Some homeowners might not know its location, which can be a big problem if there is a leak, the water lines freeze, or a pipe bursts.
Shutting Off the Water to a Fixture
Aaron Stickley is a licensed plumber with 15 years of experience in commercial, new residential plumbing, and residential service and repair. He started his own residential service and repair plumbing business. At this point, you can work on any plumbing project that requires a water shutdown, or you can turn the water back on if you were testing the valve. Make sure to keep the sink tap fully open until after the water has been turned back on.
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Track Water Usage
Irrigating or watering lawns or vegetation during periods of rain. Washing a vehicle with a hose if the hose does not have a self-closing water shut-off or device attached to it, or otherwise allow a hose to run continuously while washing a vehicle. I am not always in one home and it is gratifying to be able to monitor and shut off water supplied to one home from another home.
How to Turn Off the Water Supply to House Fixtures Individually
If your home needs a plumbing project completed, or you want new shut-off valves installed, call us today for friendly, expert help. There are usually 2 shut off valves, one on the city’s side and one on your side as the homeowner. Whenever you are repairing the water heater it is always advisable to first turn off power or gas supply to the water heater.
The 4 Best Plumbing Services of 2024
If you can't find the main shutoff valve after checking inside and outside, then you may need to dig up the property inspection report that should have been completed when purchasing the home. The plumbing section of this report should list where the shutoff valve is located, and may even have a photo of the valve. Using this information, you should be able to track down the main water shutoff valve. Work slowly and have a flashlight on hand in case you need to see where the pipe runs when it disappears behind a wall, under the floor, or in the ceiling. For slab-on-grade homes, there is a high chance that the main water shutoff valve will be in the closet where the water heater is installed.
How to Locate and Turn Off the Main Water Valve
This checklist will help you avoid water leak problems in your house. Turning off the water shut-off valve or closing the emergency curb stop valve should shut off the water to the house. In some cases, the valve may not function properly, so it’s essential to test the water before proceeding.
How to Find the Main Water Shutoff Valve
When a home’s water supply system leaks or a repair to one of the plumbing fixtures is needed, you’ll have to shut off the water. That way, the rest of the house will still have a functioning water supply. A water flow sensor helps protect your home from water damage by monitoring water flow and shutting off the water supply if the flow exceeds a specified amount. They can be attached to your home’s main water supply line or in other spots around the house to help prevent flooding and water damage. When you’re looking for the shutoff valve, take some time to inspect the supply lines too.
Even if repairs or emergencies haven’t come up yet, it’s still important to know where your home’s main water valves are and how they function. Closing and reopening them periodically will prevent them from getting stuck in place, and give you an opportunity to inspect them for corrosion or broken connections. The main water shutoff valve will not be on the exterior wall of the house if the home is located in an area where the temperature drops below freezing.
Most main water shutoff valves are located inside the home, in the basement if it has one, just a few feet from where the main water line enters the house. In some cases, the main water line may be buried behind drywall, paneling, or even flooring. If you can't find the main water line in the basement or in the crawlspace, check for visible water lines near the water heater. Once you have located the incoming cold water supply line attached to the water heater, you should be able to follow the pipe back to the main water line, where you will find the main water shutoff valve. After finding the water meter, check downstream of the device to find the main water shutoff valve.
Models like this one from Moen can be monitored and controlled remotely with your phone, and they’ll even providing you with valuable information about your water usage patterns. After tracking down the valve, do a quick inspection to determine its condition. If the valve is significantly damaged, rusted, or worn, replace it immediately. However, if the valve seems like it’s in good shape, go ahead and test its functionality. In temperate regions an outside shutoff is usually housed in a plastic or concrete underground container, sometimes called a Buffalo box. Usually the box lid can be pried up, but you may need to dig away vegetation to free it.
The valve is often in the basement, close to where the main water line enters the home, although it may also be in a crawlspace or utility room. In the basement, the valve is typically positioned around eye level; in a main-floor utility area, it is installed closer to the floor. If you have hot-water heat in your home, there will be shutoff valves near the boiler. These have nothing to do with the supply pipes for your plumbing fixtures. Should your plumbing freeze in winter or it spring a leak, you'll have to stop your water supply to make repairs.
David is extremely active in various NYC plumber organizations being the Chairman of the Subsurface Committee in the Master Plumbers Council, and Vice President of the Subsurface Plumbers Association. In addition David’s expertise is respected by officials of New York City agencies such as the NYC DEP, NYC DOB, and the NYC DOT. He frequently provides valuable input on a variety of industry related matters.
Go to a sink in the lowest level of the home and fully open the cold water, allowing it to drain into the sink. If the water is off, the flow will slow down before coming to a complete stop. After you locate the main shut-off valve or the curb stop valve, inspect the condition of the plumbing before proceeding. If the valve is in poor shape, have a professional plumber replace it instead of relying on rusted, worn, or potentially leaking fixtures.
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