Knowing how and where to shut off your home’s main water supply is as important as knowing how and where to turn-off or reset an electric breaker or replace a fuse.
Learn where your main shut-off valve is inside your home, have it plainly tagged/marked and operate it at least annually to ensure it is in proper working order. It is also a good idea to show this valve to any of your children you feel are responsible enough to utilize the valve in your absence.
Every home was required to have a main water shut-off valve installed inside the home during initial construction. Typically, they are located near where the water service line enters your home and are usually near the water meter.
There are also underground shut-off valves installed at the property line. This shut-off is typically referred to as the “curb-stop”, which is protected by and accessed through a “curb-box”. The curb-box has a 4” diameter, round, cast iron lid with the word “WATER” stamped on it. It is also important to know the location of this valve (curb-stop) and if it is in functioning order. This valve can be used to shut off your private, buried, water service line in the event of a leak. PLEASE NOTE that many water service lines develop a leak where they pass through the foundation wall before the main shut-off valve.