Find the main shutoff valve where the water line enters the house, usually in the basement, crawl space, utility room, near the water heater, or in the garage. Turn a round gate-valve handle clockwise until it stops, or turn a lever ball valve a quarter turn so the handle crosses the pipe. If you can't find or close it, the meter pit or curb stop outside can shut off the water, but call your utility first unless it's an emergency.
When a pipe bursts or a hidden leak is flooding a room, the single most useful thing you can do is shut off the water, fast. Most homeowners don’t know where their main shutoff is until they need it. Here’s how to find it, how to close it, and what to do if it won’t budge.
Where to find the main shutoff
The main shutoff is almost always where the water line enters the house:
| Home type | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Basement | On the wall facing the street, low on the wall or near the floor, often right after the meter |
| Crawl space | Near the crawl space entry or where the line comes through the foundation |
| Slab home | Near the water heater, in a utility closet, or in the garage wall |
| Water meter inside | Right beside the meter; there’s often a valve on each side |
| Private well | Near the pressure tank, on the line going into the house |
Look for a round gate-valve handle or a lever handle on a pipe about ¾ to 1 inch in diameter.
How to close it
- Lever (ball) valve: turn the handle a quarter turn so it’s across the pipe. Open is in line with the pipe.
- Round (gate) valve: turn clockwise until it stops. It may take several turns.
Then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain pressure and confirm the water is off.
If the valve is stuck or won’t close
Old gate valves are notorious for seizing, or for breaking inside so the water won’t fully stop.
- Use gentle back-and-forth pressure, not a long wrench.
- If it won’t close, go to the meter pit or curb stop (below).
- If it closes but water still trickles, the gate may be worn. Have a plumber replace it with a ball valve once the emergency is over.
Outside: the meter pit and curb stop
In many Indiana homes the water meter sits in a meter pit in the yard near the street, under a round lid. There’s usually a valve on the utility side of the meter, and a curb stop near the property line.
- These belong to the utility. Call your water utility’s emergency number first if you can.
- In a true emergency, many utilities allow a homeowner to close the meter-pit valve with a meter key or channel-lock pliers. Some don’t. Know your utility’s rule before you need it.
- Don’t dig for or force a curb stop yourself.
In Johnson County, your provider may be Indiana American Water, the Bargersville water utility, or a town utility like Whiteland or Trafalgar. See our town pages to find yours.
Shut off individual fixtures
You don’t always need to shut off the whole house. Most fixtures have their own valve:
- Toilets: oval handle on the wall behind the toilet
- Sinks: two valves under the sink
- Washing machine: hot and cold valves behind the washer
- Water heater: cold inlet valve on top of the tank
- Refrigerator: a small valve behind the fridge, under the sink, or in the basement
- Irrigation: a separate valve, often in the basement or near the meter
Before you need it: a 5-minute drill
- Find the main shutoff and tag it so anyone in the house can find it.
- Test it once a year: close it, check a faucet, open it again.
- Replace an old gate valve with a quarter-turn ball valve.
- Show everyone in the house where it is.
- Save your utility’s emergency number in your phone.
After the water is off
- Turn off power to wet areas if it’s safe.
- Turn off the water heater if the water will be off a while.
- Take photos for insurance.
- Find the source. A visible burst pipe needs a plumber; a hidden leak needs to be found first.
The full checklist is in water leak emergency: what to do in the first hour.
When you can’t see where it’s leaking
If you shut off the water because the meter is spinning or water is appearing somewhere, but you can’t see the leak, hidden water leak detection finds it without opening walls and floors to search. We serve Bargersville and Johnson County, including Greenwood, Franklin and Center Grove.
Still can’t find it?
Our hidden water leak detection pinpoints the leak without tearing things up, so the repair starts in the right spot.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the main water shutoff valve in my house?
Usually where the water line comes into the house: in the basement on the front wall, in a crawl space, in a utility room or closet near the water heater, or in the garage. In slab homes it's often near the water heater or in a garage wall.
Which way do I turn the water shutoff valve?
A round gate-valve handle turns clockwise to close. A lever-style ball valve turns a quarter turn so the handle sits across the pipe instead of along it.
What do I do if the main shutoff valve is stuck?
Don't force it with a long wrench; old gate valves can break. Try gentle pressure back and forth. In an emergency, shut off at the meter pit or curb stop, or call your water utility's emergency line.
Can I turn off the water at the meter?
Many meter pits have a valve on the utility side of the meter. It belongs to the utility, so call them first unless water is actively flooding the house. Some utilities ask customers not to operate it.