Water Shut Off Valve Outside My House

Turning off this valve by turning it clockwise cuts off the water supply to the entire house.

Water shut off valve outside my 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. This turns off water to the entire house even outside spigots. To keep the neighbor kids from running your hose when you re on vacation or to keep the pipes from freezing over winter it is necessary to shut off the valve to the outside faucet. Turn on a faucet somewhere in the house and shut off the main water valve.

This guide reviews the types of water shut off valves how they are used and where to find them inside and outside your home. All water flow should stop. Shut off water in your house. If you don t find a shutoff valve near a fixture you can shut off the valve that controls the flow of water to the entire house normally located near where the cold water pipe enters the valve will be outside in warm climates inside in cold climates.

The main water shut off valve can be outside or inside the home and its location varies depending on the age of the home and local building codes. In all homes you can shut off the water at the main water cut off valve. It will likely be below an access panel buried in the ground. Test the valve s operation most shut off valves feature a round knurled handle that s easy to access.

Details and alternatives. Simply turn it clockwise to cut off the water supply flowing to your home. You ll need an adjustable wrench a bucket and slip joint pliers. The street side valve is designed for city use only.

An old gate valve can break so be gentle when you re handling it. Turn off water to the entire house. The main shutoff valve allows a full flow of water through the pipe when it s open. If you ve never shut off the main water valve before test it before you leave on vacation.

It s simply a matter of locating the outside faucet which is the point where the water is accessed outside of the house. The main shutoff valve in your house probably has one of two designs. The easiest way to find your main water shut off valve is by knowing whether the home was constructed on a slab basement or crawl space. For typical city dwellings there are actually two main shut off valves.

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. If you have trouble reaching the valve. The city s valve is always located on the street side of your water meter often near the edge of your yard. One that the city controls outside of your house and one that you can control inside the house.

This valve is usually in the basement or on an outside wall in a utility area of the house.