If you have a plumbing problem, turning off your water main will help prevent significant damage to your property. Knowing what your main isolation valve is, where it’s located and how to turn if off will help you save valuable time in the event of a problem or emergency.
What Is A Stop Valve?
This valve helps manage the water supply to your home. You can use the exterior shutoff or stop valve to turn off your water supply, but it’s generally recommended to use the inside valve. While stop valves effectively turn off your water supply, they should not be relied on exclusively.
How Can I Find My Water Main?
In many situations, the water isolation valve will be hidden in a garage or basement rather than on an exterior wall. Your water shutdown valve will likely be located next to the water meter. If you live in a colder climate, your water system will likely be located in your basement or crawl space. We recommend you locate your water meter and valve before any problems arise.
How Do I Turn Off My Water Supply?
Your water meter will likely be located at the front of your home, on the left or right side. If you live in a townhouse or condo, you might not have an individual meter, but you should have a shutoff valve.
Once you’ve located your water meter, use a screwdriver to lift the cover plate from your water meter. If your water meter is missing a cover plate, contact your local council.
If you notice any overflowing water in the meter box, draw out the excess water with a cup or container.
Close the isolation tap or ball valve by turning it counter-clockwise. You might need to use a wrench if it’s especially tight.
Turn on your front hose tap and drain the water from your line.
If you’ve needed to shut off your water because of a plumbing problem, it’s now time to contact a plumber. Alternatively, if you turned off your meter in order to conduct repairs, you are now ready to get underway with your work.
There are particular circumstances in which you will need to turn off your home’s water supply. These include:
- Plumbing renovations
- Installations, replacements, or repairs to your system
- Signs of water collecting or standing in your yard
- Water leaks present in your home, especially those coming from appliances or fixtures
- Water leaking from your roof.
Turning off the water supply before conducting work or repairs will ensure the risk of additional damage is reduced. If you’ve noticed any problematic issues in your home, you most likely have a broken or burst water pipe. In this case, turning off the water mains supply will prevent significant damage to your home. It will also prevent you running into unexpected or significant costs of repairs in the event of damage.
Get In Touch With Us Today
If you’ve run in to plumbing problems, or want to prevent future issues with your system, contact Murphy’s Plumbing. We have decades of experience providing quality plumbing and gas fitting solutions to residential and commercial clients throughout the Hunter Valley region.
With our expert, friendly team and top-of-the-range equipment, we’ll be able to effectively diagnose and repair your issue as soon as possible. And if you have an emergency, our 24/7 callout service will ensure your problems will resolved any time of day or night. Contact us on 02 4963 3922.
