Emergencies
How to Shut Off Your Water in an Emergency
January 22, 2026 · 4 min read
When a pipe bursts or a fixture floods, the single most important thing you can do is shut off the water fast. Water damage compounds by the minute, so knowing where your shutoff valves are — before an emergency — can save you thousands. Take five minutes now to find them.
Fixture shutoff valves (the quickest fix)
Most sinks, toilets, and water heaters have their own small shutoff valve nearby — usually a small oval or football-shaped handle on the supply line. If the emergency is at a single fixture, this is the fastest way to stop it:
- Toilets: look for the valve on the wall behind or beside the toilet, on the supply line running to the tank.
- Sinks: look under the cabinet — there are usually two valves, one for hot and one for cold.
- Water heaters: there's a shutoff on the cold-water line entering the top of the tank.
Turn the valve clockwise (righty-tighty) until it stops.
Your home's main shutoff valve
If water is coming from a pipe (not a single fixture), or you can't find the fixture valve, shut off the water to the whole house at the main valve. In Arizona homes it's usually in one of these spots:
- Near the front of the house, often in a box in the ground close to the street or in a wall.
- In the garage, along the wall closest to the street side.
- Outside, near an exterior wall or the water heater.
The main valve is either a lever (turn it a quarter-turn until it's perpendicular to the pipe) or a round wheel (turn it clockwise until it stops). It's worth locating and testing yours today so you're not searching during a flood.
After the water is off
- 1Turn off the water heater if it was involved (breaker for electric, "pilot" for gas).
- 2Move belongings and soak up standing water to limit damage.
- 3Open a faucet at the lowest point in the house to drain the remaining water in the lines.
- 4Call a licensed plumber to find and repair the source.
Know your valve types
There are two common shutoff styles. A ball valve has a lever handle — a quarter turn until it's perpendicular to the pipe shuts the water off, and it's the more reliable type. A gate valve has a round wheel you turn clockwise several rotations; these are common on older homes and can seize up over time, which is exactly why it's worth testing yours before an emergency.
Be ready before it happens
The best time to find your shutoff valves is before you need them. Locate them, make sure they turn, and show everyone in your household. If a valve is stuck or corroded — common with our hard water — have it replaced so it works when it matters. And if the worst happens, we're here around the clock for homeowners across the West Valley, including Peoria and Goodyear.
