Sometimes it is critical to know where your indoor and/or outdoor shut offs are for water in your house.  Our plumbers are asked this question on about 50% of our Nashville area jobs: “How do I turn off the water in my home completely?”

When to Shut off Your Main Water Line

In the instance you find a water leak, you often need to act quickly and do not have time to “Google it.” Other instances that involve shutting off your main water supply include frozen pipes or if you plan to install a new plumbing fixture, such as a sink.

How to Shut Off the Water to your Home

Here are some easy steps to follow to shut off the water supply:

Step 1: Turn off the water inside your house

The first step is to turn off the water supply inside. You can locate your stopcock where your water enters your home. It is normally in the kitchen or a downstairs bathroom or utility room. The main stopcock is normally a brass valve. Doing this will stop the cold water from entering your home.

Step 2: Empty water from faucets

After you turn of the water, you’ll need to turn on your faucets to empty the water that has already entered your home.

Shutting off the Outside Water

In most cases, shutting off the water inside your home is sufficient, however, there are instances where you’ll need to stop all water from reaching your home. The outside stopcock is normally found next to a water meter near the street. If you do not know where to locate the meter, you will need to contact your water company or a local plumber, like us J

Once you gain access to the outside water supply, turn the handle as far as possible. If it’s a valve, just turn it a quarter turn with a pipe wrench. Once you completely turn the water off, just remember to empty your faucets another time.

 

Blog Article by Kevin Sipes,
Master Plumber
Serving Nashville, TN & Surrounding Areas