It is perfectly safe to turn it off by either turning the wheel clockwise or closing the lever. If you don't know where to locate the valve, you may find it: In the basement.
After all faucets are open, let the COLD WATER run for at least 30 minutes. During this time, also flush each toilet in your home 2 or 3 times.
After shutting off the main shut-off valve, if you open the lowest faucet in your home (such as in a basement or a foundation-level outdoor faucet) and also the highest faucet in the home, it will allow water standing in the plumbing system to drain away.
Even if you're only leaving for a few days, it's a great idea to shut off the water supply to your house. It's quick and easy to do and it lets you have one less worry while you're away. You don't need to turn off the water at every valve under sinks, behind the toilet, or near the water heater.
There are many circumstances in which the main water supply is turned off. When this happens, many homeowners wonder if it's safe to keep the water heater on of it should be shut down too. In most cases, it may not be necessary to turn off the water heater, but it also won't hurt, either.
While frequently turning on and off the water can cause too much pressure to be put on the water pipes, turning it off doesn't harm the system.
How Long Can You Turn Off Water to a Toilet? Like turning off your toilet's water for a night, it's safe to do so for a week. While you can keep your toilet water off for as long as you'd like, we wouldn't recommend it unless you have a problem with your toilet's plumbing system.
Once all your faucets are turned on, including the outside spigots, turn the water valve all the way on. Let the water run through all of your faucets for 10-15 minutes to make sure you are seeing a steady stream of water, or aren't hearing any noises coming from your piping anymore.
How to close the main valve (Shut-off/Turn-off) Round “wheel” handle valves will turn off by turning the handle clockwise. It may take two or more full revolutions.
To prevent damage to your home, it is advisable to turn off the main shut-off valve before going on a vacation. You can find the main valve in the basement, crawlspaces, concrete slab, or the attic.
Even if you are going out for the weekend, it is always advisable to shut off your water supply. While on vacation, faults could be developing gradually within your plumbing. They could be pipe leaks, water heater malfunctions or clogged drains.
There may be a hidden plumbing leak in the walls of your home, or maybe your toilet is running when it's not in use. These “hidden” leaks can cause your home to be using water even when your main water valve is turned off.
If the ball valve is parallel, it is ON; if it is perpendicular (90° angle), it is OFF. The water meter should also be able to tell you if you have a plumbing leak somewhere in your home. Learn how to read your water meter and conduct a DIY leak detection test here.
As long as your toilet bowl is full of water, you should have enough for one more flush. After that, you'll need the water you've collected from Step 1.
Nothing bad should happen and it's not an irrational thing to do. Turn the main valve slowly (both when turning off and on) to avoid possible water hammer effect that could stress pipe connections. For the same reason, turn taps in the house on slowly when bleeding air after you turn the main supply back on.
Urine and hard water deposits leave hardened mineral deposits around your toilet bowl over time. These deposits form faster when you let pee sit around. In some cases, rings left for too long can be nearly impossible to remove without harsh cleansers that can be worse for the environment than those extra flushes.
Main Water Shut-Off Valve Types
There are two main types of water shut-off valves: gate valves and ball valves. Gate valves are more commonplace in older homes (built before the 1970s), and ball valves are standard in newer homes.
Every home has two main water shutoff valves: one inside the house and the other by where your property meets the street. The simplest way to shut off all water running through your house is to know where the main valve is located inside your house.
Water Heaters
Your cold water supply is immediately ready for you, but the hot water has to go through the water heater first. One pipe carries the cold water to a water heater. From there, a hot water line moves the heated water to the fixtures and appliances that require hot water.
As a water heater heats up, the water expands Unless you have an expansion tank, a small amount of water must be allowed to backup into the water mains. If the main water valve is turned off, there is no place for the water to expand into. So, do not turn off the water and leave the water heater on.
One should normally open all faucets then turn on the main. This will allow any trapped air to be purged from the system and eliminate any 'banging'.