Go on a Valve Hunting Adventure!

Do you know the location of your water supply shutoff valve?  If you need to turn off the water FAST for a burst pipe in your house, you will want to find this valve quickly.  A quick shutoff can help minimize damage to floors and carpets in flooded basements and their associated headaches!

Take a few minutes to locate the master valve in your home.  It’s usually located where the water supply enters the home, and is often near the connections to your washing machine or water heater.  It may be in a basement or crawl space.  Once you’ve found what you think might be the correct valve, shut it off and turn on a faucet in your house to make sure you’ve found the right one. 

Then, mark the valve with a tag, a bright ribbon or colorful paint.  The goal is to make the valve easy to spot right away.  Take a minute or two and show your family where the master valve is located.  Take the kids on a valve hunting adventure, since they are often the first ones to come home from school to find water everywhere. In the event of a water emergency, you’ll be glad you took the time to track down your water supply shutoff valve!