This turns off water to the entire house even outside spigots.
Water shut off valve outside the house.
If you have trouble reaching the valve.
All water flow should stop.
These fixture shutoff valves can take many appearances but a very common one is a small silver colored valve with an oval handle with ribbed edges for gripping.
If you have a water leak or just need to turn off the water in your home for remodeling or repairs you must turn off your water upstream at some point.
This guide reviews the types of water shut off valves how they are used and where to find them inside and outside your home.
This valve is usually in the basement or on an outside wall in a utility area of the house.
The main water shut off valve stops the flow to the entire home from the water meter while other water valve types shut off the water at individual appliances fixtures and faucets.
It will likely be below an access panel buried in the ground.
If you ve never shut off the main water valve before test it before you leave on vacation.
Like indoor faucets an outside faucet valve that has worn out can come to the point where faucet will not shut off completely.
Simply turn it clockwise to cut off the water supply flowing to your home.
In all homes you can shut off the water at the main water cut off valve.
It s simply a matter of locating the outside faucet which is the point where the water is accessed outside of the house.
That s where the main water shut off valve comes into play.
This allows water to be shut off for small repairs or replacements to the fixture itself without interrupting water flow to other areas.
Details and alternatives.
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.
For typical city dwellings there are actually two main shut off valves.
The main shutoff valve allows a full flow of water through the pipe when it s open.
Your valve is located on the house side of the meter.
The street side valve is designed for city use only.
Turn on a faucet somewhere in the house and shut off the main water valve.
You ll need an adjustable wrench a bucket and slip joint pliers.
One that the city controls outside of your house and one that you can control inside the house.
Turning off this valve by turning it clockwise cuts off the water supply to the entire house.
An old gate valve can break so be gentle when you re handling it.
Test the valve s operation most shut off valves feature a round knurled handle that s easy to access.
The city s valve is always located on the street side of your water meter often near the edge of your yard.