The last thing you want is a flooded house—especially when you’re away and can’t do anything to stop it.

We’ll share how to avoid this frustrating situation, with 3 easy tips to prevent a flooded home:.

• Get regular plumbing checks

• Know how to shut off the water supply to your fixtures/home

• Install a leak detection system

Let’s discuss each of these tips in more detail…

Tip #1: Get regular plumbing checks

The easiest way to reduce your chances of a water leak is to have a plumber regularly inspect your home’s plumbing.

Why?

During a plumbing check, a plumber can detect warning signs that your home’s plumbing is at risk of developing a leak.

The most common places to find indoor leaks are in plumbing fixtures (such as a toilet or sink) or supply lines (the pipes that carry water to the fixtures). If a plumber notices you have corroded pipes or broken hardware that could lead to a leak, they can fix it before a leak forms.

Learn more about what we do during a plumbing check by visiting our maintenance plan page.

Tip #2: Know how to shut off the water supply to your fixtures/home

If you’re at home and you’re faced with a plumbing leak, the first thing you’ll want to do is shut off the water supply to avoid flooding.

You can find the water shut off valves in 2 places:

At the leaking fixture: If you can easily tell which plumbing fixture is leaking, you can shut off the water supply at the fixture itself.

At the main water supply: If you can’t find the exact location of the leak or the leaking fixture does not have a shutoff valve, you’ll want to shut off the main water supply.

Below are instructions on how to turn off each type of shutoff valve.

How to shut off the water supply at the leaking fixture

Faucet: A standard sink faucet will have a small valve connected to the water supply pipe. Turn this valve clockwise to stop water from leaking.

Toilet: Similar to a sink faucet, a toilet has a small metal valve that you can turn clockwise to cut off the water supply.

Water heater: Water heaters have a lever or circular valve that connects to the cold water inlet line. If yours has a lever, pull it 90° from its open position. If you have a circular valve, turn it clockwise until it is closed.

Washing machine: Look behind your washing machine and you’ll find a hot and cold water shutoff valve. Turn them both to the off position. Some washing machines have a lever shutoff mechanism. If yours has a lever, pull it down to the off position.

How to shut off the main water supply

Usually located on an outside wall, you’ll see pipes with a red handle. This is where water enters your home. Turn the handle clockwise to close the valve and cut off the water supply.

Note: After you turn off the water supply valve to stop water from leaking into your home, you’ll need to contact a plumber to repair the leak.

Tip #3: Install a leak detection system

You can manually shut off the water supply when you’re at home. But what happens if there’s a leak and you’re away from home?

That’s where a leak detection system can save the day.

A leak detection system consists of several sensors placed near plumbing fixtures and other leak-prone areas in your home. When one of these sensors detects a leak, they send a signal to a central hub.

Once the hub receives the alert, it activates a controller that shuts off the water supply valve. This saves you the hassle of coming home to a flooded house!

Additionally, most leak detection systems come with WiFi capabilities that send you alerts and allow you to remotely turn off your water main from your smartphone.