🏠Find your main shut-off valve
This is the quickest way to stop water inside your home.
Common locations:
- Under the kitchen sink
- In a cupboard (often near where the water pipe enters)
- Under the stairs
- In a garage or utility room
What it looks like:
- A small tap/valve on a pipe
- You turn it clockwise (right) to shut it off
What to do:
- Turn it clockwise until it stops (don’t force it).
- Turn on a tap to check the water has stopped.
🚪 Find the external stop valve (outside your property)
If the internal one doesn’t work or you can’t find it:
Where to look:
- On the pavement outside your house
- Near your property boundary
- Under a small metal or plastic cover (may say “water” or have a “W”)
You may need a key to turn it.
đź’ˇ Extra tips
- If it’s stiff, don’t force it—this can break the valve. Try gently loosening it back and forth.
- It’s worth testing your stopcock once or twice a year so it doesn’t seize up.
- Let everyone in your household know where it is.
🚨 When to shut it off immediately
- Burst pipe
- Major leak (like a radiator or washing machine hose failure)
- Overflowing tank or appliance
After shutting off the water
- Turn on cold taps to drain remaining water
- Turn off your boiler/heating system if needed (to avoid damage)