How to Shut Off Your Water in an Emergency

This guide gives safety guidance only, for homes in Walker and Baker alike. For the service itself, the burst pipe water extraction page gives a general outline. Shut off only if it is safe to do so from a dry place, and never wade into standing water.

Find the main shut-off before you need it

The main shut-off is usually where the water line enters the home, often in a utility room, a garage, or near the water meter. It may be a lever that turns a quarter turn, or a wheel that turns several times. Find it now, while the home is dry, and make sure it turns. A valve that has not been turned for years can seize, and finding that out during an emergency is the worst time to learn it.

Show everyone in the household where the shut-off is, and how it works. A burst pipe can happen when you are not at home, and the person who is there needs to know what to do. A short walk through the home, pointing out the shut-off and the valves at each appliance, takes a few minutes, and it is worth doing.

The main shut-off is usually where the water line enters the home, often in a utility room, a garage, or near the water meter. It may be a lever that turns a quarter turn, or a wheel that turns several times. Find it now, while the home is dry, and make sure it turns. A valve that has not been turned for years can seize, and finding that out during an emergency is the worst time to learn it.

The rule: shut off only from a dry place

The rule for shutting off water in an emergency is simple: shut off only if it is safe to do so from a dry place. If the shut-off is in the wet area, or if you would have to wade through standing water to reach it, do not try. Water that has reached electrics is dangerous, and standing water can hide hazards under the surface. Say so when you call, and the technician will advise on the next step.

The same rule applies to the valves at individual appliances. If the valve is dry and reachable, shut it off. If it is in the water, or if the appliance is standing in water, leave it alone and call from a dry place. Safety comes before property, every time.

Show everyone in the household where the shut-off is, and how it works. A burst pipe can happen when you are not at home, and the person who is there needs to know what to do. A short walk through the home, pointing out the shut-off and the valves at each appliance, takes a few minutes, and it is worth doing.

How to Shut Off Your Water in an Emergency — Louisiana water guide

Shutting off at the appliance

Many leaks can be stopped at the appliance itself, without shutting off the water to the whole home. The washing machine has valves behind it, the water heater has a valve at its inlet, and each sink and toilet has a valve underneath or behind it. Shutting off at the appliance stops the leak at its source, and the rest of the home keeps its water.

Knowing these valves is worth the same walk-through as the main shut-off. Point them out to everyone in the household, and make sure they turn. A valve that is seized is no use in an emergency, and finding that out now, while the home is dry, is the time to fix it.

The rule for shutting off water in an emergency is simple: shut off only if it is safe to do so from a dry place. If the shut-off is in the wet area, or if you would have to wade through standing water to reach it, do not try. Water that has reached electrics is dangerous, and standing water can hide hazards under the surface. Say so when you call, and the technician will advise on the next step.

What to do after the water is off

Once the water is off, the leak stops adding water to the home, and the job becomes one of removing the water that is already there. Call a professional from a dry place. The number is (877) 624-0105, and availability is confirmed on the call. Describe what happened, where the water is, and how far it has spread, and mention whether the water has reached electrics.

Do not turn the water back on until the leak has been repaired. Turning it back on sends water straight back into the home, and the job starts again. The leak itself needs a plumber, and that is a separate repair, arranged separately. Leave the water off until the repair is done.

Many leaks can be stopped at the appliance itself, without shutting off the water to the whole home. The washing machine has valves behind it, the water heater has a valve at its inlet, and each sink and toilet has a valve underneath or behind it. Shutting off at the appliance stops the leak at its source, and the rest of the home keeps its water.

A short shut-off checklist

Find the main shut-off, make sure it turns, and show everyone in the household where it is. Find the valves at the washing machine, the water heater, and each sink and toilet, and make sure they turn. In an emergency, shut off only from a dry place, and never wade into standing water to reach a valve.

If the shut-off is in the wet area, do not try to reach it. Call (877) 624-0105 from a dry place, and the technician will advise on the next step. Never handle electrics in standing water, and never enter a flooded building.

Once the water is off, the leak stops adding water to the home, and the job becomes one of removing the water that is already there. Do not turn the water back on until the leak has been repaired, because turning it back on sends water straight back into the home. The leak itself needs a plumber, and that is a separate repair, arranged separately.

Key Takeaways

The main shut-off is usually where the water line enters the home, often in a utility room, a garage, or near the water meter.
The rule for shutting off water in an emergency is simple: shut off only if it is safe to do so from a dry place.
Many leaks can be stopped at the appliance itself, without shutting off the water to the whole home.
Once the water is off, the leak stops adding water to the home, and the job becomes one of removing the water that is already there.
Find the main shut-off, make sure it turns, and show everyone in the household where it is.

Questions About How to Shut Off Your Water in an Emergency

Where is the main water shut-off?

Usually where the water line enters the home, often in a utility room, a garage, or near the water meter. Find it now, while the home is dry, and make sure it turns. Show everyone in the household where it is.

Should I shut the water off if the valve is in the wet area?

No. Shut off only if it is safe to do so from a dry place. If the shut-off is in the wet area, or you would have to wade through standing water to reach it, do not try. Say so when you call.

Can I shut off water at one appliance?

Yes. Many leaks can be stopped at the appliance itself: the valves behind the washing machine, the valve at the water heater, and the valve under each sink and toilet. Shutting off at the appliance stops the leak without shutting off the whole home.

When can I turn the water back on?

Not until the leak has been repaired. Turning it back on sends water straight back into the home. The leak needs a plumber, a separate repair, and the water stays off until the repair is done.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Burst Pipe Water Extraction page explains what that service covers, and the water removal page explains what that service covers when water has spread to more than one room.

Do not enter flooded rooms while you wait, and if water is leaking, turn off the shut-off valve for that fixture where you can reach it safely from dry ground.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after bringing used fixtures home.

Water extraction help is available across Louisiana. See water extraction in Tallulah, LA for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.