Not everyone knows where to turn the water off in their house, but we find it’s just as important as knowing where the power switches are. The main reason you should know how turn your water off is in case of an emergency. For example, if there is a sudden leak or burst pipe, you’ll want to minimise any mess immediately. Another reason you’ll need to turn your water off if you are having any plumbing maintenance work done. There are two ways you can turn your water off, either at the water toby or an isolation valve.
Tip: It is also a really good idea to turn off the water if you are going away for a couple of weeks. This negates the risk of a plumbing emergency while you’re not home. After all, can you imagine anything worse to come home to than a flooded house? If you have an electric hot water cylinder, you may want to turn that off as well, as it will help you save on power.
What is a Water Toby?
A toby is a water valve that shuts off the mains water to your whole property. It will likely be located at the front of your house, or somewhere around the perimeter of your property. Look out for a small cover on the ground (usually near an outside tap). The cover will either be black/blue plastic or metal. To turn the water off, simply remove the cover and turn the valve all the way. Clockwise will turn the water off, and anticlockwise will turn the water on.
Tip: Double check that your toby is the correct one for your property, so you do not inadvertently turn off the neighbours’ water!
What is an Isolation Valve?
Isolation valves are located at each area of your home that uses water, be it behind the toilet or under the sink. They are handy for shutting off water at a particular point without affecting the rest of the house.
To turn off the valve, you may need a flathead screwdriver, though some can be operated by hand.
I’ve turned the water off, what next?
If you need any plumbing maintenance done, the next step is to contact our team. We’ll send out a plumber as soon as we can. All of our plumbers are experienced and reliable, so you can be assured they’ll do the job properly, and within a short time frame.
