Water Shut Off Valve Outside My House

An old gate valve can break so be gentle when you re handling it.

Water shut off valve outside my house. It s simply a matter of locating the outside faucet which is the point where the water is accessed outside of the house. The main water shut off valve stops the flow to the entire home from the water meter while other water valve types shut off the water at individual appliances fixtures and faucets. You ll need an adjustable wrench a bucket and slip joint pliers. Test the valve s operation most shut off valves feature a round knurled handle that s easy to access.

The city s valve is always located on the street side of your water meter often near the edge of your yard. If you ve never shut off the main water valve before test it before you leave on vacation. This valve is usually in the basement or on an outside wall in a utility area of the house. To keep the neighbor kids from running your hose when you re on vacation or to keep the pipes from freezing over winter it is necessary to shut off the valve to the outside faucet.

The main shutoff valve in your house probably has one of two designs. Details and alternatives. Turning off this valve by turning it clockwise cuts off the water supply to the entire house. The main water shut off valve can be outside or inside the home and its location varies depending on the age of the home and local building codes.

There s usually a water supply shutoff valve next to your water meter outside where the city can easily turn on or off your water. The main shutoff valve allows a full flow of water through the pipe when it s open. If you don t find a shutoff valve near a fixture you can shut off the valve that controls the flow of water to the entire house normally located near where the cold water pipe enters the valve will be outside in warm climates inside in cold climates. All water flow should stop.

Turn off water to the entire house. Shut off water in your house. Turn on a faucet somewhere in the house and shut off the main water valve. For typical city dwellings there are actually two main shut off valves.

The street side valve is designed for city use only. If you have trouble reaching the valve. Simply turn it clockwise to cut off the water supply flowing to your home. The easiest way to find your main water shut off valve is by knowing whether the home was constructed on a slab basement or crawl space.

One that the city controls outside of your house and one that you can control inside the house. Your valve is located on the house side of the meter. If you have a water leak or just need to turn off the water in your home for remodeling or repairs you must turn off your water upstream at some point. In all homes you can shut off the water at the main water cut off valve.

This guide reviews the types of water shut off valves how they are used and where to find them inside and outside your home.