Water Line Repair & Replacement
Fix or swap the buried pipe that carries water from the meter into the house.
Plumbing guide
How to Turn Off the Main Water Valve in Goodyear, AZ
When a pipe bursts, seconds matter. Knowing where the main shutoff is and how it works can limit the damage.
By the Goodyear Express Plumbing team ·
Where to look
Many Valley homes have the main shutoff on an exterior wall, often near the water heater or the front of the house. Others have it in a garage, a utility closet or beside the meter. The meter box also has a city valve that is not for homeowners to operate.
Walk the house today and find it. Label it with a bright tag.
Ball valves and gate valves
A ball valve has a lever. When the handle is across the pipe it is closed. A gate valve has a round wheel. Turn it clockwise until it stops. Gate valves can corrode and fail to close fully, or break when forced.
If your valve is old, ask a plumber about replacing it with a ball valve.
Know your valve
Identify the handle on your main.
| Type | Appearance | To shut |
|---|---|---|
| Ball valve | Short lever | Rotate the lever across the pipe |
| Gate valve | Round wheel | Turn clockwise to the stop |
| Meter valve | Inside the meter box | Leave it for the utility |
Testing the valve
Close the valve, then open a tap in the house. Water should stop within a few seconds. Open the valve again slowly to avoid a pressure shock. If the water keeps flowing, the valve is not sealing.
Exercise it once or twice a year so it does not seize.
Fixture shutoffs
Toilets, sinks and appliances usually have small stop valves. These let you isolate one fixture without losing water in the house. Test each one. Replace any that are stuck or leaking, since a bad stop valve can fail at the worst time.
See faucet and sink repair for stop valve replacement.
The water heater and irrigation
Also learn the cold supply valve for the water heater and the shutoff for the irrigation line. If the heater leaks, closing its valve is faster than closing the main. If the leak is outside, closing the irrigation valve may be enough.
Photograph each valve and keep the picture in your phone.
After closing the main
Open a low tap to drain the lines. Switch off the water heater so it does not heat an empty tank. Call a plumber and note the damage. If water has soaked floors or walls, see water damage restoration.
Turn the valve back slowly and check for leaks when you reopen.
What to do if you cannot find it
Check the garage walls, the laundry room, a hall closet and the area under the kitchen sink. Look at the side of the house nearest the street, and follow the pipe from the meter toward the house. Newer homes sometimes have a shutoff at the manifold in a utility closet.
If you still cannot find it, ask the previous owner, check your inspection report or call a plumber to locate and tag it.
Practicing before an emergency
Turn the valve off and on once now, with a towel ready, and time how long it takes. Teach everyone in the household. A teenager at home alone should know exactly what to do.
Keep a flashlight and a small wrench near the valve, since some need a tool or a better grip.
Emergency order of operations
First close the main. Second, open a low faucet to relieve pressure. Third, switch off the water heater. Fourth, move valuables and photograph the damage. Fifth, call the plumber and your insurer. Avoid electrical equipment in standing water.
See burst pipe repair for what happens after the water is stopped.
Replacing a failing valve
A valve that leaks at the stem, will not close or feels gritty should be replaced while the house is calm, not during a flood. The job involves shutting off the water at the street, which the utility may need to do. A plumber can plan the work and test the new valve.
Newer ball valves with a quarter turn handle are easier to operate under stress.
Special cases: multi story homes and townhomes
In a townhome or condo, the main may serve several units, and the association may control it. Find out who has the key and where the unit shutoffs are. Upstairs bathrooms usually have fixture stops, which are the fastest way to isolate a leak above.
In a two story house, a leak on the upper floor can soak the ceiling below in minutes, so closing the main quickly matters more.
Teaching the household
Walk everyone to the valve and let each person turn it. Show how it feels, since a gate valve may need many turns. Put a note on the refrigerator with the valve location and the plumber's number. Teach house sitters and guests as well.
If anyone cannot reach or turn the valve, consider a valve with a longer handle or an automatic shutoff device, which a plumber can install.
Mistakes to avoid
Do not use pliers or a pipe wrench on a gate valve handle, since a stripped stem leaves you with no shutoff. Do not leave valves half open, which causes wear. Do not turn the water back on fast, because the rush of air and water can hammer the pipes.
After any repair, open the valve slowly, run a faucet until the air clears and check each fixture for drips.
A short written plan
Write three lines on a card: where the main is, where the heater valve is and the number to call. Tape it inside a cabinet door. In a stressful moment, a written plan beats memory, and it helps a house sitter or a family member act fast. Review it each time you move furniture or remodel, since valves get hidden behind new walls and shelves.
Common questions
Main shutoff questions
Do not force it. Call a plumber and, if needed, ask the utility about the street valve.
For longer trips it is a sensible precaution.
It involves cutting into the supply line, so a plumber is the safer choice.
In the meter box. Utilities often prefer to operate it themselves.
Related services
Burst Pipe Repair
Stop the flow, remove the split section of pipe and restore the line.
Water Heater Repair
Track down cold showers, leaks, noisy tanks and failed heater parts.
More plumbing guides
How to find a water leak in your house
Work from the meter inward, then through toilets, sinks and the yard, to find where water is escaping.
Water heater leaking from the bottom
Water beneath the tank may be a fitting or the tank itself. Sort out which, and what to do first.
Outdoor spigot leaking
A dripping hose bib wastes water and can hide a wall leak. Check handle, stem and wall.
Water running and no way to stop it?
Call the 24/7 line right now. The dispatcher will find a contractor nearby.