Knowing how to shut off your water can prevent water damage to your property in the event of an earthquake, unexpected winter freeze or other emergency.
The following steps will help you locate the “house valve” and turn it off in an emergency. Your house valve is outside the house and may be located in the front, side or back yard.
1. Locate the outside faucet or hose bib next to your home that is mounted on a pipe coming up from the ground. The house valve is located on that pipe between the ground and the hose bib (Photo 1).
2. If it’s a gate valve (Photo 2), the valve is closed by turning the wheel clockwise until the water is off.
3. If it’s a ball valve with a straight handle instead of a wheel (Photo 3), the valve is closed by turning the handle a quarter turn clockwise until the water is off.
4. Verify that the water is off by turning on the hose bib next to the house valve. If the valve is off, the water will not flow from the hose bib.
5. To turn the water back on, turn the gate valve counter-clockwise or turn the ball valve handle a quarter turn counter-clockwise.
Everyone in your home should know how to shut off the water in an emergency. Please take a few minutes to locate your valve and learn how to operate it.
Three photos to accompany this article. Captions are:
Photo 1 – Hose bib and piping.NOT FOUND: 1color-ValvesLabeled.jpg
Photo 2 – Gate valve.NOT FOUND: Photo 2- gate valve.jpg
Photo 3 – Ball valve.NOT FOUND: Ball Valve Photo 3.jpg