How to Shut Off Your Water and Gas in an Emergency

The single most useful plumbing skill a homeowner can have is knowing how to turn the water off quickly. In an emergency, every minute of searching for the valve is another minute of water damage, so it's worth finding and testing yours now, before you ever need it.

Find your main water shut-off valve

Every home has a main shut-off valve, usually near the water meter at the front boundary, or inside where the water line enters the house. It may be a lever or a round tap-style valve, and turning it fully closed stops water to the entire property. In a unit, it's often in a shared meter room or an individual cupboard.

Know your fixture isolation valves

Most taps, toilets and appliances also have small isolation valves on their supply lines, so you can turn off water to one fixture without shutting down the whole house. For a leaking tap or a toilet that won't stop running, these are the first thing to close.

Turn off the gas safely

If you smell gas, the priority is to leave the property and call your gas network's emergency line, but if it's safe to reach the meter, turning off the gas isolation valve stops the flow. The valve is usually at the gas meter, and it's closed by turning the handle a quarter turn so it's perpendicular to the pipe. Never turn the gas back on yourself, a licensed gas fitter needs to confirm the system is safe first.

Water and electricity don't mix

If water is pooling near power points, switches or appliances, turn off power to that area at the switchboard if you can do so safely, without stepping into water. If in doubt, leave the power alone and call a professional.

Test your valves before you need them

Valves that haven't been touched for years can seize. Test your main shut-off valve once or twice a year by turning it off and on again, and if it's stiff or won't move, have a plumber check it. A valve you can't turn in an emergency is as good as no valve at all.