When a pipe bursts, every minute counts, and the single most helpful thing you can do is shut off the water. Many people do not know where their main valve is until the day they need it, which is the wrong day to start looking.
This guide shows how to find and close the main shutoff, what to do if it will not turn and what to do right after.
Why the main shutoff matters
A broken supply line can release many gallons per minute. Even a small split in a pipe can soak a floor and the ceiling below within an hour. Stopping the flow limits how much structure gets wet, which shortens drying and reduces repair.
Fixture shutoffs under sinks and behind toilets stop one fixture at a time. The main valve stops everything. Knowing both is the best protection you have.
Where the main valve usually is
In most homes the main valve sits where the water line enters the building. In a basement, that is often on the front wall near the water meter or the pressure regulator. In a slab home or a house without a basement, it may be in a utility closet, a garage or beside the water heater.
Some homes also have a curb valve or meter valve outside, usually in a small box or cover near the street or the property line. Utilities often control that valve, so it may not be yours to operate. Check with your water provider about what you may touch.
Two kinds of valves
- Gate valve: a round wheel handle that you turn clockwise several times, common in older homes
- Ball valve: a lever handle that turns a quarter turn, so the handle is across the pipe when closed
Gate valves can seize with age, and forcing them can break the stem. Turn slowly and stop if it feels stuck. Ball valves are easier, and a quarter turn from parallel to perpendicular closes them.
How to close it
- Find the valve and clear the area around it
- Turn clockwise until it stops, or rotate the lever a quarter turn
- Open a faucet at the lowest level of the house to drain the pipes
- Check that the flow has stopped and the meter is not spinning
- Turn off the water heater power or gas if the tank may drain
If the valve will not close
Do not hit it with a tool. If it is stuck, try gentle back and forth movement, and if that fails, call a plumber for emergency service. If the leak is serious, the utility may be able to shut the water at the curb.
While you wait, move belongings out of the water, put towels or buckets under active drips and keep electrical equipment away. Our water extraction team can start removing standing water once the flow is stopped.
Power and safety
Water and electricity do not mix. If the water is near outlets, the panel or appliances, do not stand in it. Turn off the breaker for the affected area only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot, and call an electrician if you are unsure.
If you smell gas or see sparks, leave the house and call 911. Safety comes before saving property, and nothing in the house is worth a risk to you or your family.
Label it and test it
Once a year, close the main valve and open it again to make sure it works. Tie a bright tag to the handle so anyone in your household can find it. Tell family members and tenants where it is.
Take a photo of the valve and keep it in your phone. When a pipe bursts at night, a photo helps you or a neighbor find it quickly in the dark.
Water service in Owings Mills
Baltimore County states that Baltimore City is responsible for water service in the county, which means water mains and meters in Owings Mills fall under the city utility rather than a local town. If you need the curb valve closed, contact the city water utility and expect a procedure that differs from a municipal system within the county.
Many Owings Mills homes in the Metro Centre and Mill Station area are townhomes where the shutoff may be in a shared utility room. Ask your property manager or association where the unit shutoff is, and which shutoff belongs to the whole building.
Frequently asked questions
Often in a utility closet, a basement mechanical area or near the water heater. In attached units, a building shutoff may be shared, so ask your property manager.
The utility generally controls its own side of the meter. Check with the water provider before you operate a curb or meter valve.
It is a good habit for vacations and winter travel, and it takes seconds. Pair it with an open faucet at the lowest level to drain the pipes.
Photograph the damage, remove valuables and call. The dispatcher can explain extraction and drying while you wait for crews.
Water still spreading?
Questions about shutting off the water at your own address? The dispatcher can talk it through.