Emergency Water Shutoff Checklist for Homeowners

When a pipe bursts or a fixture floods, the fastest way to limit damage is to stop the water at its source — which means knowing where your shutoffs are before an emergency. Use this checklist to be ready.

Your emergency shutoff checklist

• Locate the main shutoff valve. It’s usually where the water supply enters the home — in a basement, garage, utility closet, or near the meter at the street.
• Test that you can turn it. Older valves seize; confirm it operates now, not during a crisis. Turn clockwise to close.
• Find the fixture shutoffs. Toilets, sinks, and the water heater have their own local valves — faster to use for an isolated leak.
• Know your water heater shutoff and, for gas units, how to cut the gas if the tank fails.
• Label the valves and make sure everyone in the household knows where they are.
• Keep the area clear so you can reach the main valve fast.

What to do the moment water strikes

Shut off the nearest relevant valve (fixture first, main if needed), cut power to the area if water is near electrical, then begin removing water and documenting the damage. Minutes saved on shutoff often decide whether you’re mopping a floor or drying a flooded room.

Regional risks differ — freeze-prone areas, for example, see more burst pipes. See our state guides for California, Florida, Texas, and Washington.

Frequently asked questions