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To prevent this: Damaged Flloor

If you own or rent a home, there are several things you need to locate before you need them. One overlooked item is the water cut off for the entire house. This one little valve may determine whether you end up mopping up  a puddle, or replacing floors.

The main water shut off valve will look similar to one of these:

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72984070_XSIf you notice water dripping from somewhere, leaking, or pooling on the floor, closing this valve will stop the water for your entire home until you can isolate the problem and fix it. This can save you thousands. Let’s say a pipe freezes, and bursts and starts draining in your house. If you cut the water off immediately the damage will be much less than if it continues to run until the plumber gets there for the emergency repair.

How do I find it?

The two most common places to put the main water cut off valve:

  1. At the water heater

  2. In the garage (If your water heater is in the attic or another hard to access area)

For the situation where it’s at the water heater if you don’t see it, trace the cold water inlet line to the tank backwards, this will usually ‘T’ off into the cold water supply for the house, and the other pipe is the main water supply line, this is where the valve usually is.

Check these two areas first, if no luck there, check under your kitchen sink, or in a utility room. Worst case you will have to go on a hunt for the valve. Once you find it, if you lucky it is already labeled with a tag, if not you will have to test to make sure it’s the main, since a lot of homes also have cut offs for outside water faucets. Close the valve and check various faucets in the house to make sure none of them have pressure. Water may still drain out because of water in the lines, but there shouldn’t be actual water pressure.

Once you verify it’s the main, label it and make sure everyone in your house knows where it is.