Where Is My Main House Water Shut Off Valve?

Where is my main house water shut off valve, is a question our Sarasota plumbers get asked a lot.  During the moment of panic, when your house is flooding, the answer can not come soon enough.

Turning your water off at the main house shut off valve, should be something everyone in the house needs to know.  It’s kinda like emergency fire drills.  You hope you never need to turn it off, because of a flood, but you need to know where it is and that it works easy.  Also make sure it is easy to find and is accessible.  Just like finding your entire family, including the dog and the cat, in the safe zone, if you had an actual fire.  It’s a relief to know you had a plan.  So, where is my main house shut off valve?

Floods are the same way.  If you can limit the amount of time the water is flowing wide open, you can limit the damage that could occur.  So, where is my main house shut-off valve?

How to Shut Off Your Water

Your main house shut of valve should be above ground against the wall of your home.  Usually, somewhere straight from the water meter.  It could be on the side of your house or in the front.  Years ago, plumbers were allowed to leave them underground, because we would remember where they where.  I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast.  So that method did not work very well for people who needed to turn off their water, because they can’t find it!

If you are on a well, it should be straight from the well to the your house.  You may even have a main shut off valve at the well.  But that could be a long run out to the well when a flood is occurring.  It is best to have the valve at the house.

Once you find the main house shut off valve, you need to make sure that it operates smoothly.  And that it shuts off the water completely.

The lever handle ball valves are the easiest for anyone to turn off.  Our Sarasota plumbers highly recommend that you have a lever handle ball valve for the main shut off valve.  It may be the cheapest insurance you will ever buy. Talk about peace of mind.

Make sure your spouse and your kids know where it is and how to use it.  Turn off your water when leaving the house for extended periods of time.

If you need a plumbers help locating or replacing your main house shut off valve in the Sarasota, Bradenton or Lakewood Ranch area, Wimpy’s Plumbing & Air is the Sarasota County Plumber you need to call.  Wimpy’s Plumbing & Air has served Sarasota Plumbing needs for over forty years.

Call your Sarasota plumbers today for an estimate!