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How Do You Turn Off the Water Supply at Home?

Published in Home Water Shutoff 3 mins read

To turn off the water supply at home, you typically need to locate and use the main shutoff valve. Here's how:

Locating the Main Shutoff Valve

The main shutoff valve is usually located where the main water line enters your house. Common locations include:

  • Near the water meter: Often found in the basement, crawl space, or an outside meter box.
  • Outside your home: Sometimes in a covered box near the street.
  • Garage: Less commonly, it might be near where the water line enters.

Steps to Turn Off the Water

Based on the reference, here is how you turn off the water using an outside meter box:

  1. Locate the meter box: It's often a rectangular box, usually set in the ground near the street.

  2. Open the lid: You may need a special key to open the meter box lid. The reference indicates using a key to "shove it into the keyhole" and then turning counterclockwise to lift the lid.

  3. Identify the shutoff valve: Inside the box, you will see the water meter and the shutoff valve.

  4. Turn off the valve: The shutoff valve is usually a lever or a wheel. Turn it clockwise (usually) until it's completely closed to shut off the water flow.

    • Lever-type valves: Rotate the handle 90 degrees (usually).
    • Wheel-type valves: Turn the wheel clockwise multiple rotations until it stops.

Important Considerations

  • Test after turning off: After closing the valve, turn on a faucet inside your home to confirm that the water flow has stopped.
  • Know your valve: Identify the type of valve you have, as it can be a lever or a wheel.
  • Be prepared: Keep the necessary tools and information about your main shutoff valve location in an easily accessible location.
  • Emergency situations: Practice locating and using the shutoff valve beforehand to prepare for emergencies.

Example: Turning Off Water at Meter Box

Step Action
1. Locate Meter Box Find the rectangular box outside, often near the street.
2. Open Lid Shove a key into the keyhole and turn counterclockwise to lift the lid.
3. Identify Valve Find the shutoff valve and water meter inside the box.
4. Turn Off Valve Turn valve clockwise (lever or wheel) until water stops flowing to the house.

By following these steps, you can successfully turn off the water supply at your home.

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