For a burst pipe, close the main water shut-off, usually where the water line enters the house in the basement, crawl space, utility room or garage. For a leaking water heater, close the cold water valve on top and turn off its gas or breaker. If you smell gas, do not touch switches: get everyone out, then call 911 or your gas utility from outside.
Where is my main water shut-off valve?
In most homes here it is where the water line comes into the house: in the basement, the crawl space or a utility room, often near the front wall, or in the garage. Look for a valve on the pipe just after it comes through the floor or wall, before it branches off.
There is also a curb stop near the street, usually under a small metal lid. It normally takes a special key, so the valve inside the house is the one to use.
How do I turn off the water?
- A lever handle (ball valve): turn it a quarter turn, so the handle sits across the pipe.
- A round handle (gate or globe valve): turn it clockwise until it stops. Do not force it.
- Then open a faucet on the lowest floor to let the pressure off the pipes.
If the valve will not turn, or water still runs with it closed, have it replaced before you need it. Replacing a main service valve starts from $555 at Gold Seal.
How do I shut off a water heater?
- Close the cold water valve on the pipe going into the top of the heater.
- Gas water heater: turn the gas control knob to Off, or close the gas valve on the line to the heater.
- Electric water heater: switch off its breaker in the electrical panel.
- If the tank is leaking, leave it off and call us. A leaking tank cannot be patched. It has to be replaced.
What should I do if I smell gas?
- Get everyone out of the house right away.
- Do not flip light switches, use a phone inside, start a car in an attached garage or light anything.
- From a safe distance, call 911 or the emergency number for your gas utility, printed on your gas bill.
- Do not go back inside until the utility says it is safe. Then call a licensed plumber to find and fix the leak.
Gold Seal’s journeymen are licensed for natural gas piping. Natural gas leak detection starts from $383, and a whole-house gas piping test from $1,050 where the pipes are exposed.
Should I shut off the gas meter myself?
Only if your gas utility tells you to and you can do it safely from outside. Once gas is off at the meter, the utility or a qualified technician has to turn it back on and relight the pilots. If you smell gas, getting out of the house comes first.
How do I get ready before an emergency?
- Find your main water shut-off now and make sure it turns.
- Label it, and the valve at the water heater, so anyone in the house can find them.
- Keep the area around both valves clear of storage.
- Replace rubber washing machine hoses with no-burst hoses. Two, installed, are $129 with our current special.
- Consider an automatic leak detector that shuts the water off for you. A whole-house Moen Flo starts from $1,610, and a water heater leak detector with automatic shut-off from $452.
Quality Service Club members get emergency shut-off tags placed on the main water valve and at the water heater as part of the membership.
Written by the Gold Seal teamLicensed plumbing contractor · WA L&I GOLDSSM799MG · ID DOPL PLB-C-8717 · updated October 28, 2026
