When a pipe bursts or a fixture floods, every second counts — and the time to learn where your shutoffs are is before the emergency, not during it. Find and test them now.
Fixture shutoffs
Most toilets and sinks have their own small shutoff valves on the supply lines beneath or behind them. For a leak at one fixture, closing its local valve stops the water without affecting the rest of the house.
The main shutoff
For a burst pipe or a leak with no local valve, you need the main shutoff, usually where the water line enters the house — often in a basement, crawl space, garage, or near the water meter. Turn it clockwise (right) to close. Make sure everyone in the household knows where it is.
Test it occasionally
Valves seize if never used. Turn the main off and on once or twice a year so it works when you need it, and replace a valve that won't turn or won't fully stop the water before an emergency forces the issue.