A burst pipe at night is not the moment to start looking for the stop valve. Neither is a power cut when the person who "knows the fuse box" is away. Take ten minutes now to find the main shut-offs in your home, and show the others in the household where they are.
The main water stop valve
The stop valve (also called a stopcock or main shut-off) closes the water to the whole home. Where it sits depends on the house and the country, but it is usually close to where the water pipe comes in.
Where to look
- Under the kitchen sink, often at the back of the cupboard.
- In a utility room, boiler room, basement or cellar.
- Next to the water meter, sometimes in a cupboard or a small hatch in the floor.
- In a flat: in the kitchen, bathroom, or a shared cupboard on the landing.
- Outside: many homes also have a valve at the boundary, under a small cover in the pavement or garden. It often needs a special key and may belong to the water company.
How to close it
Most valves close by turning clockwise. A lever valve closes when the lever lies across the pipe. If it is stiff, do not force it with a tool; you can damage it. Test it once a year by closing and opening it again, so you know it works.
The fuse box and the residual-current device
The fuse box (consumer unit, distribution board or breaker panel) is where the electricity is split into circuits. It is often in the hall, by the front door, in a cupboard, garage or basement.
- The main switch turns off all power in the home.
- The circuit breakers (or fuses in older homes) each protect one circuit, such as the kitchen or upstairs sockets.
- The residual-current device (RCD, also called an earth-leakage or ground-fault switch) cuts the power quickly if current leaks, for example through a faulty appliance or a person. It usually has a test button.
Ask an electrician or the person who knows the house to label each breaker clearly: "Kitchen", "Bathroom", "Freezer in garage". It saves a lot of guessing later.
Gas
If your home has gas, there is a main gas valve, usually next to the gas meter. The handle is open when it lies along the pipe and closed when it is turned across it. Appliances such as a gas hob or boiler may also have their own valves.
If you smell gas: do not use switches, lighters or anything that can make a spark. Open windows and doors, turn off the gas at the meter if you can do so safely, leave the home, and call the gas emergency line or your local emergency number from outside.
Heating
Heating systems vary a great deal: a gas or oil boiler, a heat pump, district heating, electric heaters or a wood stove. Find out three things about yours:
- Where the boiler or heating unit is, and how it is switched off and on.
- Where the manual is, and the phone number of the company that services it.
- What normal looks like: the pressure on the gauge, the usual temperature, and any lights that should be on.
What to do if there is a leak
- Close the main stop valve.
- If water is near electrical sockets, lights or appliances, turn off the power at the main switch, but only if you can reach the fuse box without standing in water.
- Turn off the boiler or water heater if the hot water is affected.
- Open the cold taps to drain the pipes and reduce the pressure.
- Catch what you can with buckets and towels, and move valuables out of the way.
- Call a plumber. If the leak comes from a neighbour or a shared pipe, tell them or the building's caretaker.
- Take photos and call your home insurer early. Keep receipts for anything you buy.
What to do in a power cut
- Look outside: are the neighbours' lights also off? Then it is probably a wider fault. Check your electricity network company's website or fault line.
- If only your home is affected, go to the fuse box with a torch. Look for a breaker or the RCD that has tripped to "off".
- Unplug appliances on that circuit, then switch the breaker back on. If it trips again at once, one appliance may be faulty. Plug them back in one at a time to find it.
- If the RCD keeps tripping, or you see scorch marks or smell burning, leave it off and call an electrician.
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed. A full freezer stays cold for many hours.
- Remember anyone who depends on power: medical equipment, a stairlift, an alarm, a heat pump in winter.
Write it down for the others
In many households one person knows all this, and the others do not. Write down where each shut-off is, with a short description ("under the sink, behind the bin, red lever") and, if you like, a photo. Add the plumber's and electrician's numbers. If you have a holiday home, do the same there; it is often where a frozen pipe is found too late. Our page on holiday homes has more on that.
In Handover: the topic The home has Turning off the water, When the power goes and The heating, with room for a photo of each. People to call keeps the plumber and the electrician.