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Often, waiting for a local plumber to make emergency repairs can take days, so shutting off the water is critical to avoiding water damage. The copper or mesh supply tube that runs to the refrigerator typically has a small saddle valve or fixture shutoff valve that you can shut off to turn off the water supply. Sometimes, the supply tube that runs to the refrigerator may also tap into the water supply line beneath the sink, close by where the sink faucet supply lines are attached. If you have a leak coming from only one appliance, or if you’re preparing for specific repairs, you likely don’t have to turn off the water supply to your entire house.
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Your main shut-off valve could be in a number of places depending on your regional location and the age of your home. The knob will either be a gate valve (looks like a circular spigot) or a ball valve (looks like a lever). In warmer climates, the main water shut-off valve is usually located outside.
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Shutting off water supply valves is simple once you locate where the valve is and the type of valve your home has. With any water valves, be careful with them as they can break. After that, though, a simple twist or turn should cut the water to your home. If you need to turn off the water supply to a specific fixture, such as a toilet or sink, look for the valve near the fixture. Some appliances may have two valves for hot and cold water, but a toilet only uses cold water, so there will only be one shut-off valve. It’s usually located near the floor and is often on the bottom left side of the toilet tank.
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The water main shutoff valve may be marked (it will be on newer homes,) or you may have to do some deductive reasoning to locate it if it is in your basement. The easiest way to figure out which is the main water valve is to look for the slightly larger pipe that extends out of the basement through the wall. After turning off the main shutoff valve, open a few faucets to drain the remaining water from the pipes. You may need to turn off the water to your water heater if there’s a pipe leak or if you need to repair or replace the water heater.
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You may need to do so for a scheduled plumbing repair, or before leaving on a long trip. 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 shutoff valve is usually located near the main water line to your home, often in the basement or utility room. It could be a gate valve (a wheel or lever) or a ball valve (a lever). If your home has a crawl space or a slab foundation, the valve may be located near the water meter.
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Before there’s any urgency (or water all over the floor) at your place, consider familiarizing yourself now with how to turn off the water supply. Show family members, too, where the valves are and how to cut them off quickly. This knowledge will make regular maintenance easier, and it could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repair costs in a worst-case scenario. After closing off the main shutoff valve, turn on a faucet in your home located on a lower floor, such as in a basement or even outdoors. Doing this allows any standing water to drain out of the plumbing system before you begin working on the pipes.
What should I do if the valve is stuck?
If this doesn’t work, you should call a professional plumber to fix the problem. If you turn off the water supply and still have a leak, you should call a professional plumber to fix the problem. Turning off the water supply can prevent accidents and injuries due to plumbing emergencies or leaks.
Those efforts often start with the yard, since it is the single largest residential water consumer, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, especially in summer, when watering lawns and gardens spikes. Outside the house accounts for 30 percent of all household water use, according to the EPA, but that number can be much higher in drier parts of the country. High temperatures and low water levels have pushed many parts of the country, from California to Maine, into drought conditions. As a result, people in some places, such as in parts of California, face mandatory water restrictions.
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In other cases, you may have a red-painted valve that you’ve noticed a million times, but never had a reason to explore further. You may have some signs of water pooling in the backyard, an exceptionally high water bill, or water spurting from below the kitchen sink. Furthermore, you could be having a burst water pipe situation.
If your plumbing is all on one level, try the tub faucet and the outside faucet if the weather allows. Angi helps you connect with specialized plumbers who are reliable and know how to handle plumbing installation and repairs. When you find it, take some time to inspect the valve for any problems.
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Try looking on the utility sink next to your washing machine (if you have one) or in a recessed water supply valve box in the wall near the washer. Individual shutoff valves or “stops” are installed on the supply lines leading to most appliances as well as to toilets and faucets. Typical supply stops have a small round or oval handle that you turn clockwise to shut off the flow of water.
Sometimes houses have multiple shut-offs for different branches of plumbing, as well. For a ball valve, turn the lever 90 degrees so it sits perpendicular to the water line. This rotates the ball inside the body of the valve, blocking the flow of water and shutting off the water to the house. If the valve is difficult to move, use adjustable pliers to get a better grip, but work slowly and gently to avoid damaging it. With a ball valve, turn the lever 90 degrees so it sits perpendicular to the water line. However, emergencies aren’t the only time a homeowner might need to turn off the water.
The shutoff valve has an arrow to indicate the water flow direction. You may turn the handle by hand or use a water meter key, screwdriver, or wrench. Reach out to your utility company if it can't turn to avoid responsibility for any water meter damage. Once you have the main water valve, go around to the various taps in your home and open them up.
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