Here it is! PHD Plumbing’s first tip of the month! This month’s tip: How to find the main shutoff valve in your home. When plumbing accidents happen, one of the most important things to do is to shutoff the main water to prevent water damage or flooding! This is done by turning the main shutoff valve off. In newer homes, the main shutoff valve is generally found in the mechanical room, which is where the hot water tank and the boiler or furnace is located. It is usually shown coming out of the ground and is located before the pressure reducing valve, or PRV. In older homes, they tend to be gate valves and in newer homes, they are most likely ball valves. If it’s not in the mechanical room, the next place to look is a crawl space under the house. If you are unable to find it, don’t worry! Give us a call and we’d be happy to find it and show you so you know for next time!
Below are examples of a PRV, a gate valve and a ball valve:
