Where to turn off water for shower?

Author: Edwina Huel  |  Last update: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Shower Shut Off Valve Here's how to turn off the water to your shower: Look for the shut off valve usually located in the wall behind the shower or in the access panel. Turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water supply to the shower.

Where is the water shut off valve for my shower?

Showers and tubs: Showers and tub faucets are located inside the wall with nothing to put a shut off valve behind. If these faucets have a shut off, it would most likely be in a ceiling panel directly below the shower and tub in the ceiling below.

Where is the water supply for a shower?

The water supply lines are the pipes that bring water into the shower system. They are located behind your bathroom's interior wall and are typically connected to the main water supply in your home. These lines deliver both hot and cold water to the shower valve.

Do all showers have valve stops?

Service stops on a shower valve are optional but certainly come in handy, especially if you are in an apartment or condo. They allow you to shut off the water to the valve so you can repair it without having to shut the main water source off.

Where is the control valve in a shower?

Most shower valves are made of brass and located directly behind the handle of your shower or bathtub. This essential component opens and closes the hot and cold water lines headed to the shower head or tub faucet. Some showers have a single valve that handles both hot and cold water.

How To Shut Off the Water to a Shower Valve

Does every bathroom have a water shut off valve?

Every bathroom sink will have two shut off valves – one for the hot water, one for the cold. You'll see these small shut off valves right where the water pipes come out of the wall inside the sink cabinets. These valves will connect to the underside of the faucet with flexible supply lines.

Do I need to turn off water to replace a shower handle?

The first step in a shower knob replacement is to turn off the water supply. Many showers have supply shut-off valves on the back or sides of the shower unit, but they're usually hidden behind the wall.

Where does shower water run to?

Regulations require that all water from inside the house go through a septic system, either on site or at a municipal treatment plant. This includes showers, toilets, laundry systems, kitchen and even swimming pools – because of the chemicals.

Why does my faucet keep running when I turn on my shower?

When the shower diverter valve is open, the water flows directly through the tub faucet to fill your tub. Closing the valve diverts the water into your showerhead. When the diverter fails, not all the water goes into the showerhead, causing your tub faucet to leak when the shower is on.

How do I stop my shower from running water?

How to Fix a Dripping Shower Valve
  1. Turn Off The Water. Exactly the same as with the showerhead, locate your main water supply and ensure it's turned off before beginning.
  2. Disassemble The Valve. Start by removing the handle from the valve. ...
  3. Replacing The Washers. ...
  4. Reassemble The Valve.

How do you turn off an outdoor shower?

Locate the valves on the hot- and cold-water pipes that run to the outdoor shower. Turn each valve handle to the left until the handle won't move any further to shut off the water supply.

How do I turn off the water supply for my shower?

Look for the shut off valve usually located in the wall behind the shower or in the access panel. Turn the valve clockwise to shut off the water supply to the shower.

Where is the water release valve?

Location: The pressure-relief valve is typically located on the top or side of the tank. It includes a discharge tube that extends to about six inches above the floor. This tube is designed to safely discharge water in case the valve is triggered.

Where are shower water valves?

Shower and bathtub shutoff valves are usually hidden behind an access panel. That panel can be in the bathroom, the room behind the bathroom or the ceiling of the room below. If you don't have an access panel, it could be hidden behind the wall. In that case, you would need to shut off the main water supply.

Does toilet water and shower water come from the same place?

In almost all cases, no. Plumbers do not install toilet pipes directly into shower pipes. Doing so could create a health hazard for you and your family, should wastewater from the toilet seep up into the shower. However, both drain pipes eventually connect to a primary drain line in your sewage system.

Where does the water from an outdoor shower go?

Drainage Solutions

Local building codes may dictate how you can dispose of gray water from your shower. For the most part, outdoor showers simply drain into the ground. You can build a dry well—an earthen pit lined with landscape fabric and filled with gravel—under the shower floor to help disperse water flow.

Is there a shut-off valve for showers?

There should be separate hot and cold-water supply lines with separate shut-off valves for showers, sinks, and dishwashers. Toilets tend to have a single, cold water shut-off valve.

Do I have to shut off the water to change a shower head?

Before replacing the old shower head turn off the valves to stop the water supply to the shower head. You can usually do this by locating the shutoff valve on the wall behind the shower. It's a good idea to turn off the main water supply to your home as well, just to be safe.

Where is the water shut off for a bathroom?

Your sink has piping leading to the faucet, so the valves should be on the piping underneath the sink. Bathroom Like in the kitchen, most bathroom water shutoff valves will be underneath the sink in the cabinet area. Another possible location, if you have a suspended ceiling, is above the sink in the ceiling.

Do some houses not have a water shut-off valve?

Every house has at least one main water shut-off valve. Look for where the plumbing enters the home to find yours. There are a couple of main spots to check inside first before heading outside to look. You can save yourself some time by checking your property inspection report if you know where that is.

Why won't my shower turn off?

Over time, the valve can wear out, become corroded, or develop sediment build-up, leading to malfunction. Broken Handle or Cartridge: The handle or cartridge inside the shower faucet can break or become stripped, preventing you from properly turning off the water.

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