Think of this as the master switch for your whole house. Every single drop of water runs through it. Find it now, before you’re ankle-deep in a flood.
Look outside near your house. Is there a metal box in the ground? That’s a curb stop. You might need a special key (or a really, really long wrench). For now, try the inside one first.
Go to your basement. Or crawlspace. Or the garage wall. You’re hunting for a pipe that comes through the floor or wall. On it will be a big, round wheel—like a giant faucet handle—or a straight lever.
The Wheel vs. The Lever
Got a wheel? You turn it clockwise. That’s righty-tighty. Give it several full turns. Don’t be shy. Crank it until it stops turning easily. If it fights you, stop. You’re not trying to build a statue.
Got a lever? That’s the quarter-turn style. It’s even easier. The lever should be parallel to the pipe when water is flowing. To shut it off, spin it a quarter turn so it’s perpendicular to the pipe. That’s a 90-degree angle. Done.
Test it. Go upstairs. Turn on a bathroom faucet. Nothing? Victory dance. If water still trickles out, you didn’t close the main valve all the way. Go back, and give it another grunt of effort.
