You’ve found yourself in a nightmare: water is gushing through your house, either from a busted pipe, valve or an accumulation of unchecked leaks. Whatever the reason, a situation like this could potentially cost you thousands of dollars in water damage and bills.
That’s why when plumbing emergencies arise, The Hi-Tech Plumbing & Leak Detect team wants to ensure you know how to locate your main water line shut-off and have the proper preventive measures in place.
It may seem impossible, but the first thing to do is to remain as calm as possible. Panicking may make it harder to find the valve or cause you to miss it in plain sight. The water shut-off valve could be located in various locations inside or outside your home.
Places To Look Inside Of Your Home
Each home is unique, so there’s no standard location for where the shut-off valve is located. However, these are some of the most common areas for homes connected to a municipal water supply.
- It could be inside the perimeter of your home- most likely on a wall facing the front of your home. You can zero in on the location by going outside and looking at the front of your house. Once you find it, go back inside your home and try to remember where it would be in relation to the outside. It may be either in your basement or on the first floor.
- If you have a crawl space with a basement, it may be in the basement due to the water entering your home from there. It could also be inside the crawl space.
- If you have a home with no basement, the shut-off valve may be located by your home’s hot water heater or under the kitchen sink.
- It could be inside your garage, on an exposed plumbing line. It may be on a wall in your garage or somewhere near your garage door.
Places To Look Outside Of Your Home
These are some places outside where your main water shut-off valve may reside.
- It could be near other faucets outside. Inspect the outside of your home for any visible faucets. If you find one with a lever or wheel valve, that’s most likely it.
- Your streetside curb. The shut-off valve could be inside a cement or plastic box labeled “water.” You will need to remove the lid, which you can do using pliers. If you’re unable to open this box, you’ll need to give your municipal water service a call.
- It could be near your well. If the water source for your home comes from a private well, your shut-off valve is most likely located by your well’s pump or the pressure tank.
Plumbing and Leak Detection Services in Edmond
Since this is a stressful situation, Hi-Tech Plumbing & Leak Detect highly recommend familiarizing yourself with where your main water shut-off valve is located before an emergency situation occurs. Proper preventative measures like our slab leak and leak detection services will go a long way to prevent catastrophes like this- to learn more about what we offer, call us today to speak to one of our representatives!