Now this is a question that every homeowner ought to know the answer to. Knowing where your Main Water Shut-off valve is can be the difference between a little wet carpet and thousands of dollars in water damage. Water leaks on your main piping are a more rare occurrence but sometimes they do happen. So that is why knowing the location of this shut-off valve is important.
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| Gate Valve |
To find the location of the shut-off valve we need to know what kind of foundation your house is on. This will help narrow down the possible locations of the valve. Also know what kind of valve you are looking for. It will be either a Gate Valve (left) or a Ball Valve (below).
- If your house is on a concrete slab then the shut-off valve is usually in a closet nearest to the water meter or it may be next to the water heater in the utility/laundry room.
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| Ball Valve |
- If your house has a crawl space under it then the valve may be in a closet nearest the water meter or just inside the crawl space opening or in the garage. *Note: Sometimes the valve is out of reach in the crawl space. It may be wise to consider relocating it to near the crawl space opening or moved to another area that is easily accessible by you.*
- If your house has a basement under it, the valve is usually at the foundation wall nearest to the water meter. In finished basements it is often hidden behind an access door or hatch.
- If you still can't find it, look around the water heater, in the utility/ laundry room, and in every closet. They can sometimes be in unusual places like the garage or under the porch. There is also a chance that your house doesn't have a main shut-off valve in which installing one might be in your best interest.
- When you find your valve, test it and make sure it works properly. It won't do you any good to have a valve if it doesn't shut-off when you need it to. If the valve is too old many times it will not properly seal and water will still be allowed to come through.
We hope this post was helpful in finding your main shut-off valve. We urge you not to wait for an emergency to know where your valve is located. Take a few minutes now and find it so that you are prepared. If you have any further questions or would like us to come out and locate it for you just give us a call at 316-263-1011. We'd love to serve you in anyway we can!
Though this is pretty basic stuff, I wish I had known all of this before. I live on a farm with orchards and vineyards and I walked out one morning seeing a hundred foot geyser going off in my vineyard. Though it was awesome, I live in a desert so it wasn't so good. I didn't know where the main water shut off was. It was a panic to find and I had to ask my mom where it was. So lesson learned; know where the shut off valve is! http://www.flologic.com/Automatic-Water-Shutoff-System.html
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