Emergency · 6 min

Shut the water off before the damage spreads

Find the main shutoff and the fixture stops so a burst pipe stops flooding the house while you wait for a plumber.

What you'll learn

  • Where the main shutoff usually sits in a San Diego slab house
  • How to close an angle stop under a sink or toilet
  • What to do if the main will not turn

Step by step

  1. Walk the house and write down which fixture is affected, and whether the water is hot, cold, or both.
  2. If water is actively leaking, close the angle stop for that fixture. If that stop will not move, close the main.
  3. Take a photo of the water heater label or the leaking fitting before anyone takes it apart.
  4. Call the line and leave the city, the address, and what you already shut off.
  5. Ask the plumber for a written price after they see it. Compare that number with the ranges on our service pages.
  6. Before work starts, look up the contractor license at cslb.ca.gov.
Safety note

If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company and 911. Do not hunt for a plumbing fitting.

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