How To Find Your Water Shut-Off In Gulfport
When a pipe bursts or a water heater lets go, the single most useful thing you can do is shut the water off fast. Most people only go looking for the valve once water is already on the floor, and on the Coast, where many homes are raised and others sit on slabs, the valve is not always where you expect. Take ten minutes today to find it, test it and label it. If it will not turn, call (228) 206-8769 today; our team can replace it before you need it.
Inside the house
On a house built on a slab, the main shut-off is usually where the supply line enters the house: in a utility room or laundry room, in the garage near the water heater, or in a closet on the wall facing the street. On a raised home, look where the supply pipe comes up from the ground under the house, near the stairs or in an enclosed area beneath the living floor. The valve is either a lever (a quarter turn closes it) or a round wheel (turn clockwise).
At the meter
If you cannot find an inside valve, or it will not close, shut the water at the meter. On most homes on city water the meter usually sits in a covered box in the ground near the street or property line. Lift the lid carefully, as insects and critters like the shade, and look for the valve on the street side of the meter. It may need a meter key, which hardware stores sell. The city side belongs to the water department, so if the problem is there, call the city.
If the valve is seized
Valves that have not been touched for years often stick. Do not force a wheel valve with a wrench or pipe; a stuck stem can snap and turn a small problem into a flood. Try firm, steady pressure. If it will not move, use the meter valve instead and have our plumbers replace the house valve with a modern quarter-turn ball valve, a small job that makes every future emergency easier and one we will ensure is completed properly.
Label it today
Once you have found the valve, hang a tag on it, take a photo of where it is and share the photo with everyone in the house, including anyone who looks after the place when you travel. Keep a meter key where you can reach it. If you have a raised home, add a flashlight to that spot, because you may be looking for the valve at night in bad weather. For the full emergency routine, see what to do if a pipe bursts.