How to Find Your Main Water Shut Off Valve
When a pipe bursts, every minute counts. Find the main shut off now, before you need it.
Need water help right now?
Call with the source and the rooms affected.
Call for emergency water extractionWhere is the main water shut off valve in a North Texas home?
Most slab homes in DeSoto and nearby cities have a house side main water shut off valve where the line enters the home: often in the garage, near the water heater, or in a small ground box beside the front foundation. There is also a valve inside the city water meter box near the street, which you can close with a meter key in an emergency.
Homes here are built on concrete slabs, so there is no basement valve like older homes up north. Builders put the main shut off in a few common places. Take five minutes to find yours today and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.
Key points
- Look first in the garage, near the water heater, and along the front foundation.
- The meter box near the curb has a second valve for emergencies.
- Turn gate valves clockwise; turn ball valves a quarter turn so the handle crosses the pipe.
- Turn off the water heater if the water will be off for a while.
Common places to check
| Location | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Garage wall | A pipe coming out of the slab or wall with a round wheel or lever handle, often near the water heater |
| Front foundation | A small rectangular or round plastic lid in the flower bed near the hose bib, with a valve inside |
| Water heater closet | Some homes have the main valve beside the heater, separate from the heater's own cold water valve |
| Utility or laundry room | A valve on the main line where it enters, sometimes behind an access panel |
| Meter box near the street | A concrete or plastic box in the yard or parkway with the city meter and a valve on the city side |
How to close the main valve
Wheel handle (gate valve): turn clockwise until it stops. Older gate valves can stick; use steady pressure, not a hammer, to avoid breaking the stem.
Lever handle (ball valve): turn a quarter turn so the handle sits across the pipe instead of in line with it.
Then open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain pressure from the lines. That slows the leak while you wait for help.
Using the meter box valve
If you cannot find or turn the house valve, the meter box valve stops water at the street. Lift the lid carefully, watching for insects and snakes, and look for the valve on the city side of the meter. It usually needs a meter key or a crescent wrench to turn a quarter turn. Report any damage to the meter or city side valve to your city water utility; in DeSoto that is the City of DeSoto.
After the water is off
- Switch off an electric water heater at the breaker, or set a gas heater to pilot, so it does not heat an empty tank.
- Turn off power to wet rooms if it is safe.
- Photograph the leak and the wet rooms.
- Call a plumber for the pipe and an extraction crew for the water. See what to do after water damage.
Test it before an emergency
Turn the valve off and back on once or twice a year so it does not seize. If it will not move or it drips, have a plumber replace it with a quarter turn ball valve. That is a small job compared with a flooded house during a freeze.
Written for homeowners and renters in DeSoto, TX and nearby cities. This guide is general information, not legal, insurance or engineering advice. See our editorial policy for how guides are researched and reviewed.
Main water shut off questions
Is it legal to turn off the water at the meter box?
In an emergency homeowners commonly close the customer side valve to stop a leak. Do not tamper with the meter itself. If you are unsure, call your city water utility and they can shut it off.
My main valve will not turn. What now?
Do not force it hard enough to snap the stem. Use the meter box valve instead, then have a plumber replace the stuck house valve once the emergency is handled.
Do I need to turn off the water heater when the main is off?
If the water will be off for more than a short time or the lines are being drained, yes. Turn off the breaker for an electric heater or set a gas heater to pilot.
How do I know the water is fully off?
Open a faucet. After a short trickle it should stop. If water keeps flowing, the valve is not fully closed or there is another supply line.
More water damage guides
How to Protect Pipes From Freezing
What to do before, during and after a hard North Texas freeze.
Read the guide →Water Heater Leaking From the Bottom
Find the source, shut it down safely and know when the tank is done.
Read the guide →AC Leaking Water Through the Ceiling
Clogged condensate lines, full pans and frozen coils in attic units.
Read the guide →Pipe burst and water spreading?
Shut off the main, then call. Extraction crews can start as soon as you hang up.