How to Shut Off Water to Your House (Main and Fixtures)
To shut off water to your house, find the main shutoff valve where the water line enters (basement, crawl space, garage, or an outdoor box in warm climates) and turn it fully clockwise, or a quarter turn if it is a lever. For a single repair, use the fixture stop under a sink, behind a toilet, or on the water heater instead. Related: a water main break.
Where the main water shutoff valve is located
Your main water shutoff valve sits within three to five feet of where the supply line enters the house. In cold climates it is indoors: a basement, crawl space, utility room, or near the water heater. In warm climates it is often outside on an exterior wall or in a ground box near the meter. Slab homes usually route it through the garage or a mechanical closet.
The fastest way to find yours is to trace the pipe running from the street-side meter into the house. The main valve is the first shutoff on that line. Locate it now and tag it, because a burst pipe is a bad time to go hunting.
| Home type / climate | Where to look first | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basement, cold climate | On the wall facing the street, near where the line enters | Often right beside an indoor water meter |
| Crawl space, cold climate | Just inside the crawl space at the front foundation wall | Bring a flashlight; you may need a key for the access hatch |
| Slab foundation, mixed climate | Attached garage or a utility/mechanical closet | The supply line comes up through the slab |
| Warm climate (South, West) | Outdoor box near an exterior wall or the meter | Lift the lid; look for a wheel or a lever |
| Apartment or condo | Under-sink stops, or a unit shutoff in a closet | The building main is usually staff-only |
Gate valve vs ball valve: which one you have
Two valve types control most homes. A gate valve has a round wheel handle and closes as you turn it clockwise several full turns. A ball valve has a straight lever and closes with a single quarter turn, so the handle sits crosswise to the pipe. Ball valves are more reliable; older gate valves can seize or snap, so turn them slowly.
| Valve type | Handle | To close | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gate valve | Round wheel | Turn clockwise several full turns until it stops | Can seize with age or snap the stem; never force it |
| Ball valve | Straight lever | Quarter turn clockwise until the lever sits crosswise to the pipe | Most reliable; if the lever spins freely, the ball may be broken |
How to shut off water to the whole house in an emergency
In a burst-pipe emergency, go straight to the main shutoff and close it before you do anything else, because every minute adds gallons. Then open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the remaining water in the pipes and cut pressure. Kill power to the water heater so it does not run dry. Call a plumber once the flow stops.
- Find the main valve. Head to where the supply line enters, using the table above. Everyone in the household should know this spot.
- Close it fully. Turn a wheel clockwise until it stops, or push a lever a quarter turn so it sits across the pipe.
- Open the lowest faucet. A basement or outdoor tap drains standing water and relieves pressure, so the leak slows fast.
- Open a high faucet too. An upstairs tap lets air in so the lines drain fully.
- Shut off the water heater. Set an electric unit’s breaker to off, or a gas unit to pilot, so the burner does not fire on an empty tank.
- Confirm the water is off. Check the leak and a working fixture; the flow should stop within a minute.
For the full first-10-minutes playbook, including how to document the damage for insurance, see our guide on what to do when a pipe bursts.
The street shutoff at your water meter (last resort)
If the indoor valve is stuck or missing, shut the water at the street. Your meter sits in a ground box near the curb under a metal or plastic lid. Inside is a valve you close with a quarter turn, usually with a water meter key or a wrench. Turn it perpendicular to the pipe. Many utilities ask that you avoid touching the meter itself.
A meter key costs about $10 to $15 at any hardware store and beats prying with a screwdriver. The box often holds two valves: the one on your side of the meter is yours to use, while the utility-side valve belongs to the water company. Close only the customer-side valve.
How to shut off water to one fixture for a repair
For most repairs you never touch the main. Every toilet, sink, and appliance has its own stop valve on the supply line, so you can fix one fixture while the rest of the house keeps running water. Turn the stop clockwise to close, then open the fixture to confirm the flow stopped. Water heaters have a cold-inlet valve on top.
| Fixture | Where the stop is | How to close | Verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toilet | Wall or floor behind the bowl, on the supply line | Turn clockwise (oval handle) or quarter turn (lever) | Flush; the tank should not refill |
| Sink (bath or kitchen) | Under the cabinet, two stops for hot and cold | Turn each clockwise until snug | Run the tap; the flow stops |
| Water heater | Cold-water inlet valve on top of the tank | Close the inlet, and shut off the gas or breaker | Open a hot tap; the flow drops off |
| Washing machine | Behind the unit, hot and cold hose bibs | Turn clockwise, or drop a single-lever box down | Both hoses go slack |
| Dishwasher or fridge line | Under-sink stop or an inline valve on the line | Quarter or clockwise turn | No flow at the appliance |
Two stop styles exist. An older compression (multi-turn) stop uses an oval handle and closes over several turns; a quarter-turn stop uses a small lever. If a stop drips at the packing nut after you turn it, snug the nut an eighth of a turn. If it will not seal at all, use the main while you fix a leaking pipe or replace the stop.
If the valve is stuck, leaks, or fails
Old gate valves are the usual problem. The stem corrodes, so the wheel spins without closing or the packing nut weeps. Do not force a seized valve, since a snapped stem turns a repair into a flood. Snug the packing nut a fraction to stop a weep, use the meter shutoff to isolate the house, and plan to swap the gate valve for a quarter-turn ball valve.
A licensed plumber can replace a main shutoff in about an hour in many areas, often for $150 to $350 depending on pipe material and access. It is cheap insurance against a valve that fails at the worst moment.
How to shut off water before a vacation or a freeze
Leaving for more than a few days, or before a hard freeze, shut off the main and drain the pipes so a failure while you are gone does not flood the house. Close the main, open the lowest and highest faucets to drain the lines, and set the water heater to vacation mode or pilot. In freezing weather, also disconnect outdoor hoses.
Draining the system matters as much as closing the valve. Water left sitting in the lines can still freeze, expand, and split a pipe even with the main off. Open a few faucets until they sputter and stop, then leave them cracked so pressure cannot build back up while you are away.
Exercise your shutoff valve once a year
The maintenance tip nobody follows: open and close every shutoff valve once a year so it does not seize in place. Turn the main fully off, then back on, and do the same at each fixture stop. A valve you cannot budge during a burst pipe is useless. This two-minute habit is the cheapest insurance against water damage in your home.
When you turn the main back on, open it slowly. A sudden surge sends a pressure spike (water hammer) through the pipes that can loosen joints. Run a faucet as you open the valve, and add this check to your seasonal home plumbing maintenance checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Which way do you turn a water shut-off valve to turn it off?
Turn it clockwise, the same as tightening a screw. A round wheel (gate valve) needs several full clockwise turns until it stops. A lever (ball valve) needs a single quarter turn clockwise until the handle sits crosswise to the pipe. Righty-tighty closes it. If the handle turns freely without stopping the flow, the valve has failed inside.
Can I shut off the water at the meter myself?
Usually yes, on the customer side of the meter. Lift the ground-box lid near the curb and close the valve on your side with a quarter turn, often using a meter key. Avoid the utility-side valve and the meter itself, since some water companies seal or fine tampering. If your only working shutoff is at the street, call the utility to confirm their rules.
Do I need to turn off the water heater when I shut off the main?
For a short repair, no. For a longer shutoff or a burst pipe, yes, so the tank does not run dry and overheat. Set an electric heater’s breaker to off, or a gas heater’s dial to pilot. Once water is restored, let the tank refill fully before you switch the heater back on to protect the heating element.
What do I do if the shut-off valve won’t turn?
Do not force it, because an old gate valve can snap and flood the room. Try gentle back-and-forth pressure with two hands or a wrench on the packing nut area. If it will not move, shut the water at the meter instead and isolate the leak with a fixture stop. Then replace the failed valve with a quarter-turn ball valve.
How do I turn the water back on after shutting it off?
Open the main valve slowly, not all at once. A fast surge sends a pressure spike through the pipes that can jar joints loose. Crack a faucet on the top floor first so air escapes, then open the main gradually while it runs. Work down floor by floor, checking for leaks at every fixture you shut off before you call it done.
Last reviewed: August 2026.