Burst Pipe Repair
Cut off the flood, then repair the frozen or split pipe that caused it.
Homeowner guide
Turning Off the Main Water Valve in Lafayette, CO
When plumbing fails, nothing in the house helps more than the main shutoff. Many people do not know where theirs is until water is already on the floor, so finding it on a calm day is worth ten minutes.
By the Lafayette Plumbers team ·
Where the valve usually is
In most Colorado homes with a basement, the main sits on the wall nearest the street, close to where the water line comes in. You may also find it beside the water heater or the water meter. In a house on a slab, it is often in a utility closet, a garage wall or an exterior box.
Look for a pipe coming through the foundation wall with a valve and, often, a meter. A pressure regulator, a bell-shaped brass fitting, may sit just after it. Walk the perimeter from the street side first.
Two kinds of valve
A ball valve is operated by a lever. When the handle runs along the pipe, the valve is open, and when it sits across the pipe, it is closed. A quarter turn is all it takes, and these valves are reliable.
A gate valve is recognized by its round wheel. You turn it clockwise to close, and it takes several full turns. These are common in older homes, and they can seize or leak around the stem. Turn gently and stop if it resists.
Ball valve and gate valve compared
Your handle shape tells you which kind you have.
| Valve | Handle | To close it | Common trouble |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ball valve | Lever | Rotate it a quarter turn until the lever crosses the pipe | Rarely fails; check for drips at the stem |
| Gate valve | Round wheel | Turn clockwise several full turns | Can seize or leak around the stem |
The shutoff at the street
Your city has its own shutoff in a box near the street, usually called a curb stop. It belongs to the utility, and operating it without permission can cause trouble. Call the City of Lafayette's utility billing office at 303-604-3555 if you cannot close the valve in your house.
The meter pit may have a second valve on the house side of the meter. If your house has one, it is yours to use. Ask the utility which valve is meant for owner use.
Testing the valve
After closing the valve, open the house's lowest faucet. Water should slow to a drip and stop. Water that keeps flowing shows the valve is not sealing. Reopen it, leave everything else alone and call a plumber.
Test every year, because a valve that is never used stiffens. Work it a quarter turn and back, and if the handle feels rough, have it replaced. A new ball valve is a short job.
If the valve will not turn
Avoid forcing a jammed valve with a pipe wrench. A snapped stem may leave you flooding with no shutoff. Apply a little penetrating oil to the stem, let it soak and try again, pressing evenly.
If it will not budge, shut off water at the meter with a meter key only if the utility allows it, or call the utility. Then call a plumber about replacing the valve. The page on burst pipe repair lays out a full emergency.
Labeling and knowing your fixtures
Hang a bright tag on the main valve and make sure every member of the household knows its location. Individual stop valves under sinks and toilets let you isolate one fixture, so you do not have to cut water to the whole house for a small leak.
If a stop valve is crusty, leaking or seized, replace it before you need it. See faucet and sink repair for the common fixes.
Fixture shutoffs and the water heater
Each toilet and sink has its own small stop valve, usually on the wall or floor beneath. Closing one isolates a single fixture, which is handy for a dripping faucet or a running toilet while the rest of the house keeps water.
The heater has a cold-water inlet valve too. Close it, and switch off the gas or power, if the tank is leaking and you want to keep the rest of the house running.
Tell everyone in the household
Walk every adult and older child to the valve and demonstrate which way it turns. A short walk-through takes five minutes and pays off if you are away when a pipe fails.
Add a tag or a bright label to the valve handle. Visitors, house sitters and tenants will find it faster, and a clear label helps a plumber on arrival.
After the water is off
Run the lowest tap to empty the pipes, and crack the highest one so air can enter. Turn the water heater off so the elements do not run dry.
When repairs are finished, reopen the valve slowly and bleed air from the taps one at a time.
Replacing an old main valve
Gate valves wear out because the wedge inside erodes and the stem packing dries. A plumber can swap one for a full-port ball valve, which closes in a quarter turn and tends to last longer. The job needs the street side shut off, so the utility or a licensed contractor usually coordinates it.
Ask for a valve with a handle you can reach and operate easily, and request that the new one be labeled. Replacement is a modest job compared with the damage from a valve that fails during an emergency.
Meters, curb stops and who owns what
The utility owns the meter and the shutoff beside it in most places, and it may ask homeowners not to operate the curb stop. The house side valve is yours to use and maintain.
Call the utility and ask what its policy is. Knowing the answer before an emergency saves time when water is running.
Common questions
Answers on main valve
A wheel handle closes clockwise. A lever handle closes when it sits across the pipe.
Usually not. It belongs to the utility, so call the utility before touching it.
Tightening the packing nut a little may stop it. If it keeps leaking, the valve needs replacement.
For a long trip, yes. Doing so contains the harm should a pipe fail while the house is empty.
Related services
Leak Detection
Locate a hidden leak inside a wall, under a floor or along a buried line before it stains drywall or inflates the bill.
Faucet & Sink Repair
End drips, weak flow, stuck shutoffs and dripping outdoor spigots.
More plumbing guides
Preventing frozen pipes
Cold snaps split pipes in garages, crawl spaces and outside walls. Here is how to protect them before the next freeze.
Tracking down a concealed leak
You can find many leaks with a meter, a dye tablet and a flashlight. Here is a step-by-step check.
Water heater leaking at the base
A puddle under the heater may come from a loose fitting or from a tank that has failed. Find out which, and what to turn off.
Speak with the phone desk
Water running and the valve is stuck?
Call the 24/7 line, say where the valve is and what it is doing.
Call (720) 743-9476(720) 743-9476 · day and night