Water Shutoff Guide

Where to look

• Basement — most common. Wall closest to street, near floor.
• Crawl space — entry point of water line.
• Garage — sometimes mounted on inside wall.
• Utility/laundry room — common in slab homes.
• Outside (warm climates) — near front of house, ground level.
• Curb shutoff — at the street, in a metal lid marked WATER. Needs special "water key" tool ($15 at Home Depot).

Two types of valves

• Ball valve — straight handle. Turn 90° to close. Easiest. Most newer homes.
• Gate valve — round wheel. Turn CLOCKWISE multiple times to close. Older homes.
• If gate valve is stuck — don't force it. Call plumber.

Test it once a year

1. Turn it OFF.
2. Try a faucet — should run dry within 30 seconds.
3. Turn it back ON.
4. If it leaks or won't fully turn — call plumber for replacement ($150-300).
5. If it's seized shut/open — that's why you test annually.

Individual fixture shutoffs

Each toilet, sink, washer, fridge has its OWN shutoff right behind/below it. For one fixture problem, you don't need the main shutoff.

• Toilet — small valve behind/below tank. Turn clockwise.
• Sink — small valves under sink, on supply lines.
• Washer — two valves (hot/cold) behind machine.
• Water heater — valve on top, COLD inlet.

Smart auto-shutoff (worth it)

• Moen Flo ($350-500 + plumber install) — installs at main line. Auto-shuts off if leak detected.
• Phyn Plus ($600 + install) — same idea.
• Insurance discount — many insurers give 5-10% off for these.
• Cheaper alternative: leak sensors ($30 for 4) at every fixture. Phone alert, manual shutoff still needed.