Tips for Identifying and Shutting Off Household Water Supply

The need to shut off a main household water supply may present itself in various ways.

Here's a few examples:
>Leaking water pipe
>Frozen water pipe
>Leaving property unattended for extended period
>Necessary maintenance on piping and/or appliances

One of the first things a new homeowner, renter or other occupant should do is familiarize themselves with the property in general, and especially with all of its "system controls", including:
>Main water supply shutoff
>Main gas supply shutoff
>Main power supply shutoff
>Furnace or HVAC controls and emergency shutoffs
>Any other controls
Once you've become familiar with the locations of these controls, it's a good idea to affix a highly-visible label to the control-devices, identifying them as the main shutoffs for that particular system. This will be helpful if the occasion arises where someone who may be unfamiliar needs to locate them in a hurry.
It is also be a good idea to create a diagram of the property showing the locations of the various controls, and post the diagram in a readily-noticeable location.

Usually, the main water shutoff valve is located in the basement (if so constructed) or in a garage or utility closet if built without a basement area.

Once the water shut-off valve has been located and adequately labeled, when the occasion arises that you DO need to shut it off, here are the simple steps to follow:

Note: If water supply needs to be shut down for repairs, modifications, or
to stop an active leak, a Lockout/Tagout procedure should be followed, for safety (see http://www.osha-safety-training.net/LOEQUIP/page6.html for some examples of LO/TO items and information resources). Also, be sure to wear necessary protective equipment for the job at hand (safety glasses, gloves, etc.), and be sure to use the proper tools for the job as well.

1.Ensure valve is the proper one to shutoff.
2.Rotate valve handle in a clockwise direction until it cannot
be rotated further.
3.Attach LO/TO device(s) and completed informational LO/TO tags, which notify others you've shut the system down for repairs, etc.
4.Slightly open at least one faucet elsewhere in the house, to
allow the piping to vent and drain.
5.Be sure also to have a bucket ready if you intend to cut into
any of the piping, as it will still have water in it.

Once you've completed your planned repairs or modifications, reverse the procedure (from #4 to #2) to re-activate the water flow. When the water is turned back on, there will be air in the system, and there may be discoloration as well. Run the water for several minutes to clear these from the system.