Experiencing a major water leak is probably a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Knowing where your home’s main water valve is located and how to shut it off is crucial for everyone living in your home.
Where do I start the search?
The most common place for the main water valve is in the basement utility room. For homes built on a crawlspace, you will most likely find the main water valve near the access. In a home that is built on a slab, the main water valve is usually in the utility room or utility closet.
For relatively newer homes built in the city, the utilities typically enter the home on the street side. Sometimes, in older neighborhoods, the utilities come from the alley side of the home. In rural homes with wells, the main water valve is typically located in the utility room at the pressure tank.
In newer homes, the valve may be labeled by the builder, but that is not always the case. In older homes, it can be a treasure hunt when looking for your main water valve. If the main water valve is not in the utility room, we may find it hidden in a cabinet, under the bathroom sink, or behind a secret panel. When our home inspectors perform a home inspection for you, we locate the main water valve and tag it with a label.
What does the main water valve look like?
Typically, the main water valve is a ball valve or a gate valve.
Ball valves have a ¼ turn handle, usually dipped in a colored plastic that gives them a good grip material. This type of valve is what is standard in modern home construction. This type of main water valve is operated by turning the valve a quarter turn to the right to shut off the water supply. If the handle is in line with the piping, the valve is open. When closed, the handle will be perpendicular to the piping.
Ball Valve
Gate valves are an older style of main water valve. They look kind of like a hose bib spigot. This type of water valve turns to the right to close and to the left to open. Gate valves control the flow by pushing a rod, or “gate,” into the water flow opening. Over time, the seals on gate valves can dry out and deteriorate, and our home inspectors find a lot of these older main water valves are leaking and corroded. We recommend replacement in our home inspection report. If you do have a water leak, you want your main water valve to work, right?
Gate Valve
Some more clues.
If you live in the city, you may find what is sometimes called a “curb stop.” It will look like a small metal cap about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, either in the driveway or near the curb in the grass. A curb stop will indicate which side of your home the water line is coming from.
Curb Stop
Again, if you live in the city, you will have a water meter that the city uses to determine and charge you for your water usage. The water meter will be near the entry point of the water line coming into your home.
Water Meter
In rural homes, if you have a well, the water main typically enters the home from the side that the well is on. Once in the home, you will find a pressure tank, which is typically blue in color. The main water valve will be the one between where the water line comes into the home and the tank.
Pressure tank with main water valve
In Summary
It may not seem like a big deal, but knowing where your main water valve is located will save you time and potential water damage in the event of a major leak or a frozen water line in the winter. While we have described the most common types of main water valves found in homes, there may be other styles. Some of these main water valves may require a wrench to turn them on or off. If this is the case, make sure you have a wrench readily available in case you need it.
When HomePro Inspections performs a home inspection for you, your home inspector will share the location of the main water valve with you and put an identification tag on the valve so you can easily find it.
Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN areas. You can contact us today at (507) 202-8942 or use our online “Schedule Now” feature to set up an appointment.