How to Shut Off Water to Your Home: A Homeowner's Guide

When a pipe bursts or a fixture starts spraying water, the first thing to do is stop the flow. Every homeowner should know where the main water shut-off valve is and how to turn it off before an emergency happens — not while water is spreading across the floor.

The main shut-off is usually in one of these locations:

If you live in an apartment or condo, your unit may have its own shut-off valve inside the unit, but the main valve for the building may be in a utility room accessible only to maintenance or management.

Most main shut-off valves are either a gate valve (round handle that you turn clockwise) or a ball valve (lever handle that you turn 90 degrees).

After shutting off the main, open a faucet at the lowest point in the home to drain water from the lines and reduce pressure. Then open a faucet at the highest point to let air into the system.

If the problem is isolated to one fixture, you may not need to turn off the whole house:

If the fixture does not have its own shut-off valve, or if the valve is stuck or broken, use the main shut-off instead.

Older homes in Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Studio City, and surrounding areas may have shut-off valves that have not been turned in years. If a valve will not budge:

A broken shut-off valve during an active leak can turn a manageable situation into a larger emergency.

Pick a calm weekend and test your main shut-off valve. Turn it off, then turn on a faucet to confirm water stops flowing. Turn the valve back on slowly. This simple test confirms the valve works and shows you exactly where to go when an emergency happens.

If the valve leaks around the stem when you turn it, or if it will not fully stop the water, schedule a plumber to replace it before an emergency forces the issue.