Where Are My Most Important Shut-Off Valves Located?

All shut-off valves for water and gas are important. They should be visibly inspected, sporadically used, and proactively replaced throughout the years. However, there are a few that are far more important than others. Knowing what these are, where they are located, how they operate, and their age and condition is important.

There are the obvious shut-off valves that many homeowners are familiar with: every toilet and sink faucet will have an accessible water shut-off valve or angle stop. Then of course there are the easy-to-spot but seldom-used ice maker box and washer box shut-offs.

According to the Texas Plumbing Code, every appliance or device that operates on flammable gas (natural gas or propane) MUST have a “readily accessible” shut-off valve.

Oddly enough, showers and tub faucets are NOT required to have shut-off valves. Anyone that has had a shower cartridge that will not turn off or that has stopped functioning probably knows what an issue this can be. We get calls every week where customers’ showers have been running for an hour or longer and they don’t know what to do. This example is just one of many we can give as to the importance of the “what, where, and how” of the various shut-off valves in your home or business and also why they must be fully accessible and operational.

The shut-off valves mentioned so far all have a certain level of importance. In a perfect world, they should all be functioning and accessible and you should know how they operate. But the most important shut-off valves in your home or business that must be functioning and readily accessible are:

• Main Water Shut-off 
  LOCATION – Depending upon the age of the home, this is usually either in a valve box in the front flowerbed or behind an access panel in the garage. Please note that we are NOT referring to the water meter shut-off valve but your own personal main line shut-off valve. This shut-off valve is the most important due to its frequency of use/need, but it is not always easily accessible and must be maintained. If properly functioning and readily accessible, it can easily be operated by hand. This one shut-off valve can save you thousands of dollars in repairs, countless hours of frustration, and months of living in a hotel while repairs are being made.
• Gas Meter Shut-Off (and Individual Gas Shut-Offs)
  LOCATION – This is very dependent upon where the gas smell is coming from. The main shut-off valve will be at the gas meter and is easily accessible, but you will need a large wrench or pliers to operate it. This only requires a quarter turn, despite the fact that it might make a full revolution. Otherwise, you can turn off the individual gas appliance at its shut-off. Remember, this one shut-off valve can save you hundreds of dollars and possibly even your life!
• Hot Water Heater Shut-Off 
  LOCATION – This shut-off valve is almost always easily accessible but not always fully operational or functioning due to its limited lifespan. Its location is always on the incoming cold water line, which is almost always on the right side of the water heater(s). Tracing the cold water line back to the device is always helpful. When everything is fully functional and correct, it can be easily operated by hand when in good condition. Having an emergency leak detection shut-off device such as a Flood Stop is always a good idea, especially if your water heaters are located in the attic.

Coming in Q3 of 2023, our Earl’s Plumbing annual membership program will inspect all of these shut-off devices and then some via a full home annual safety inspection. During that inspection, we can show you where these shut-off devices are and how they are intended to function and operate. And if they are suspect or problematic, we can provide you with replacement options.