Knowing where your main water valve is could mean all the difference, especially in the case of an emergency. When pipe bursts and hundreds of gallons of water spray into your basement, floors, or walls, every second counts. So when you purchase a new home or during the buying process, ask your Realtor to show you the location of the water valves. If you don’t know where the water valve is in your current residence, it’s time to take a look around.

Finding Your Plumbing Valve

The location of your main water valve greatly depends on the construction of your home. Check the list below for the home arrangement that most closely resembles your residence and search at the noted location.

• Basement: If your home has a basement, the shut-off valve is most often located near the front foundation wall. This should be where your main water enters the home through the foundation and the valve should be in its immediate proximity. Sometimes it could also have been redirected to enter the home through a mechanical room of some sort in the basement.
• Crawlspace + Basement: For homes with both a basement and crawlspace the situation could be a little different. In most instances, the water valve will be located on the front foundation or in a mechanical room just like any other home with a basement; however, older homes have been known to place their valve in a crawlspace. If this describes your home and there is no secondary valve elsewhere in the basement, make sure you have a clear path to this valve in case of an emergency.
• Crawlspace with No Basement: Seek out your water heater and chances are your shut-off valve won’t be far off, but this is not always the case. As above, the valve could be located in the crawlspace, so locate a secondary valve or make sure the route through your crawlspace is easily accessible.
• Slab-on-Grade Construction: Most often, the valve will be by your water heater, but all homes are different.

The Next Step: Contact a Four Seasons Plumber!

Now that the water has been turned off, it is time to address the problem at hand. Contact the licensed plumbers at Four Seasons for immediate assistance and expert solutions. Regardless of the nature or scope of your plumbing problem, there is a Four Seasons professional in your neighbor ready to lend a hand.

Contact us today!