How to Shut Off Your Gas, Water, and Electricity: The 3 Valves Every Household Should Find Today

Key points

• Learning how to shut off gas, water, and electricity takes about 20 minutes. Doing it for the first time during an emergency does not go well.

• Do not shut off the gas unless you smell gas, hear it escaping, see other signs of a leak, or you are told to. Only the utility is allowed to turn it back on, and after a widespread event that wait can be long.

• The gas meter valve takes a quarter turn with a 12 to 15 inch adjustable wrench. Crosswise to the pipe means off. Keep the wrench near the meter but never on the gas piping.

• At the electrical panel, switch the individual breakers off first, then the main. Never touch a wet panel or stand in water to reach one.

• If you smell gas, leave first and call from outside. No light switches, no phones, no flames inside.

Every house has three shutoffs, and in most houses nobody can point to all three. Learning how to shut off gas, water, and electricity is a 20 minute job on a Saturday, and it's the difference between stopping a burst pipe in 40 seconds and standing in an inch of water calling a plumber who is two hours out.

One warning up front, because it's the part that costs people the most: two of these three you should use freely. The gas one you should almost never touch.

Where are the gas, water, and electric shutoffs in a typical house?

Gas is at the meter outside, water is where the supply line enters the house, and electricity is at the breaker panel. Here's what each one actually looks like.

• Natural gas. The main shutoff valve is on the pipe running into your gas meter, usually on an exterior wall, in a side yard, or occasionally in a below-grade box near the street. It's a rectangular tab or lug sticking out of the pipe, not a handle you can grab. If you use propane instead, the shutoff is a hand wheel on top of the tank.

• Water. There are two, and they are not the same. The one that's yours is inside, where the supply line enters: a basement wall, a crawl space, a utility closet, a garage, or in warm climates an outdoor box or wall on the street side of the house. It's either a lever (a ball valve) or a round wheel (a gate valve). The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission notes that "most main shut-off valves are located on the exterior of the home or just inside the property in line with the water meter."

• Electricity. The main breaker is the single largest switch at the top or bottom of your breaker panel, usually rated 100, 150, or 200 amps. The panel itself is typically in a garage, basement, utility room, or hallway closet. Older homes may have a fuse box with a pull-out main block instead.

Ready.gov puts a "wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)" in the basic disaster supplies kit for exactly this reason. A kit with a wrench and a household that has never found the valve is half a plan.

When should you shut off the gas, and when should you leave it alone?

Only shut off the gas if you smell gas, hear it escaping, see other signs of a leak, or an official tells you to. SoCalGas states it in capital letters: "DO NOT turn off your meter unless you smell natural gas, hear the sound of gas escaping or see other signs of a leak, and ONLY if it's safe to do so."

This is the rule that matters most in this entire article, and it runs against instinct. People assume that shutting off the gas "just in case" before a storm or after an earthquake is the cautious move. It isn't, for one reason: you cannot turn it back on.

PG&E is direct about it. "Please do not turn the gas on, yourself. Ask a PG&E representative or another qualified professional to perform a safety check, restore gas service and relight your appliance pilots, even if an earthquake did not cause the closure." SoCalGas is equally plain: "If you turn off natural gas to the meter, leave it off. Don't turn it back on yourself. Only our field employees are allowed to turn on the natural gas to your meter."

And after a regional event, that visit is not a same-day thing. SoCalGas warns that "depending on how many customers are without natural gas service, it may take an extended period of time" to restore it. Restoration is done one home at a time, because a technician has to check the meter, purge air from the lines, and relight every pilot inside the house. Multiply that by a neighborhood and you have days. Multiply it by a region and you have weeks.

So the honest math is this. Shutting off the gas without cause turns a power outage into no heat, no hot water, and no cooking, for an unknown number of days, at the exact moment those things matter. Leave it alone unless you have a reason.

How do you turn off a gas meter valve?

A quarter turn with a wrench, until the valve tab sits crosswise to the pipe. That's the whole motion.

1. Find the shutoff valve on the inlet pipe to the meter. The valve tab (sometimes called the tang) runs parallel to the pipe when the gas is on.

2. Put a 12 to 15 inch adjustable wrench on the tab. PG&E's instruction is to "give the valve a quarter turn. The valve is closed when the tang is crosswise (perpendicular) to the pipe." SoCalGas says the same thing: "turn the valve 1/4 turn in either direction, until the valve is crosswise to the pipe."

3. Leave it off. Call the gas company from a safe distance and let them restore it.

The detail almost everyone gets wrong is where the wrench lives. Keep it close, but not on the pipe. SoCalGas: "Keep a 12-inch or larger adjustable wrench with your emergency supplies, or next to your valve. Do not store the wrench on the meter or other natural gas piping." A wrench hung on the meter is a steel object bolted to a gas line in an earthquake, and it can strike a spark or stress a fitting. Mount a hook on the wall a few feet away, or zip-tie the wrench to the fence post nearby. It just cannot ride on the pipe.

Two more things worth knowing. Some homes in seismic areas have an excess flow valve or earthquake shutoff valve installed on the line, which closes automatically. If yours trips, that's still a utility reset, not a homeowner one. And every gas appliance has its own smaller shutoff valve within a few feet of it. If the problem is one appliance, use that valve instead and keep the whole house's service alive.

What should you do if you smell gas?

Leave the building first. Everything else happens outside.

SoCalGas lists the signs of a leak in three senses: look for "dirt/water blowing into the air, dead or dying vegetation," listen for "unusual sounds like hissing, whistling or roaring," and smell for "the distinctive odor of natural gas." That odor is a deliberately added sulfur smell, because natural gas itself has none.

Then, in this order:

1. Get everyone out. PG&E: "Alert everyone nearby and leave the area immediately to an upwind location."

2. Touch nothing electrical on the way out. Do not use "anything that could be a source of ignition, including cell phones, flashlights, light switches, matches or vehicles." That includes turning a light off. A switch sparks in both directions.

3. No flames. No lighters, no candles, no matches, and do not start a car in an attached garage.

4. Call from outside, well away from the building. Call 911 first, then your gas utility.

5. Only shut off the meter if you can reach it safely on your way out. If reaching the valve means going back inside or through the smell, skip it. The utility can shut the line at the street.

6. Do not go back in until the fire department or the utility says it's clear.

The instinct to grab things on the way out is the one to train against. It's the same discipline as a home fire escape plan: everybody out, meet at the mailbox, count heads, then call.

How do you shut off the water in your house?

Turn the main valve where the line enters your home. A lever handle turns a quarter turn until it sits crosswise to the pipe. A round wheel turns clockwise until it stops.

SFPUC describes both types: a ball valve "turns off at a 90 degree angle to the supply pipe," while with "an older-style gate valve, turn the wheel or handle on the valve clockwise until it stops."

Two honest notes on gate valves. First, they are stiff, and a valve that has sat untouched for 15 years may not want to move. Exercise yours once a year: turn it fully closed and fully open again. That's how you find out it's seized on a Saturday afternoon instead of at 2 a.m. Second, do not force one with a pipe wrench. An old gate valve can snap at the stem, and now you have a leak plus no shutoff.

The Red Cross keeps its water guidance short: "If water pipes are damaged, turn off the water at the main valve. Call a plumber for assistance."

The curb stop is not yours

Out near the street, usually under a metal or plastic lid in a concrete box, there's a second valve on the water meter. That's the curb stop, and it belongs to the water utility. It takes a special long-handled key, and turning it can damage the meter or interrupt a neighbor's service on a shared line.

SFPUC is explicit that only trained personnel should handle water meters, and offers a free site visit to help customers locate their own valve instead. Most utilities will do the same if you call and ask. Find your inside valve. Leave the curb stop for them.

Should you turn off the water heater, or save the tank as a water source?

Save the tank. A standard water heater holds roughly 50 gallons of drinkable water, which is about a two week supply for one person at Ready.gov's rate of one gallon per day.

Colorado State University Extension calls hot water tanks "the best source of indoor water because they hold an average of fifty gallons of water." Here's the sequence, and the order genuinely matters:

1. Turn off the energy to the heater first. CSU Extension: "First turn off the gas at the intake valve or turn off the electricity at the circuit breaker, or unplug the unit." Heating an empty tank destroys it and can be dangerous.

2. Close the cold water intake valve, usually the valve on the pipe above the heater. This protects the clean water in the tank from anything contaminated in the city main.

3. Open a hot water faucet somewhere in the house. That vents the tank so water will actually flow out.

4. Put a clean bucket under the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and open it. Expect sediment in the first gallon.

5. Mind the temperature. CSU Extension warns plainly that "the water coming from the tank can be scalding hot." Let it cool before anyone drinks it or washes with it.

6. Do not turn the heat back on until the tank is refilled with fresh water.

This is why "shut off the water heater" and "shut off the water" are two different decisions. Closing the house main protects the tank. Draining the tank without cutting its power ruins it.

How do you turn off the electricity at the breaker panel?

Individual branch breakers first, then the main. The Electrical Safety Foundation International instructs you to "flip each breaker and THEN turn off the main breaker."

The reason is arcing. Killing the main while a dozen circuits are still under load forces the whole household draw through one contact at the moment it opens. Shedding the branch circuits first means the main opens with almost nothing behind it. It's easier on the equipment and safer for you. When you restore power, reverse it: main on first, then branch circuits one at a time, spaced out so everything doesn't surge back at once.

Now the part that is genuinely dangerous. Never touch a panel while standing in water, and never touch a wet panel. The Red Cross gives one specific workaround: "If there is a pool of water on the floor between you and the fuse box or circuit breaker panel, use a dry wooden stick to try to reach to turn off the main fuse or breaker, but do not step or stand in water to do that." If you cannot reach it dry, stop and call the utility to cut power at the meter. That's a phone call, not a risk.

The Red Cross also names the signs that mean you should kill the power now: "If you see sparks, broken or frayed wires, or if you smell hot insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker."

After a flood, keep it off. ESFI: "If your home experienced flooding, keep the power off until an electrician has inspected your system for safety." The same goes for anything that got wet: "have an electrician inspect electrical appliances that have been wet, and do not turn on or plug in appliances unless an electrician tells you it is safe."

Who in the house needs to know how to do this?

Every capable adult, plus every teenager old enough to be home alone. One person who knows where the valves are is a single point of failure, and emergencies have a habit of happening while that person is at work.

Walk it with each of them once, physically. Show them where each shutoff is, put the wrench in their hand, and let them find the valve without you pointing. For teens, be specific about the boundary: the water main and the breaker panel are theirs to use if something goes wrong, the gas is not, unless they smell gas and it's on their way out the door. That distinction is easy for a 15-year-old to hold and it removes the guesswork.

PG&E's disaster guidance frames the same idea for households: "Locate your gas service shutoff valve. Learn how to turn off your home's gas," and "locate your main electric switch. Learn how to turn off your electric supply."

Honest limit: none of this is a substitute for professional help. If there's fire, a downed line, or anyone showing symptoms after a suspected leak (headache, dizziness, nausea), call 911 from outside. Gas utilities run 24-hour emergency lines and do not charge to check a suspected leak. Call them. And if a child or pet may have swallowed something during the cleanup, Poison Control is at 1-800-222-1222, 24 hours a day.

The weekend exercise: find all three and tag them

Give this 30 minutes on a Saturday. Bring your phone and a permanent marker.

1. Find the gas meter valve. Photograph it. Note which way the tab points when the gas is on. Check that a 12 to 15 inch adjustable wrench is stored within a few steps, on the wall or a post, not on the pipe.

2. Find the water main inside. Photograph it. Close it, open a faucet to confirm the flow stops, then reopen it fully. If it's stiff or weeping, that's a plumber call now, not later.

3. Find the breaker panel. Photograph the open panel. If the circuit labels are missing or wrong (they usually are), spend 20 minutes with a helper mapping them and write the real labels on the door.

4. Tag each one. A luggage tag or a strip of tape on the pipe near each valve, marked with which way is off. Not on the gas piping itself, on the wall beside it.

5. Photograph the water heater with its intake valve and drain valve visible, so nobody has to figure that out in the dark.

6. Put the three photos where the family can find them. A shared album works. So does the folder from your emergency document checklist, which is already the place your household stores things it will need under pressure.

7. Walk it with everyone. Ten minutes, once. Then repeat it every year, ideally when you're already doing seasonal prep like a hurricane preparedness run-through.

The reason to photograph instead of just remember: the person who needs this may be a house sitter, a grandparent watching the kids, or you at 3 a.m. with a flashlight in your teeth. A picture with an arrow on it beats a memory every time.

Frequently asked questions

Should I turn off my gas before a hurricane or an earthquake?

No, not preemptively. Utilities are consistent on this: shut off the gas only if you smell gas, hear it escaping, see other signs of a leak, or you're told to. Once it's off, only the utility can restore it, and SoCalGas warns that after a widespread event "it may take an extended period of time" to get service back. That means no heat, hot water, or cooking for an unknown stretch.

Which way do you turn a gas shutoff valve?

A quarter turn in either direction with a 12 to 15 inch adjustable wrench, until the valve tab is crosswise (perpendicular) to the pipe. Parallel to the pipe means open, crosswise means closed. Once it's closed, leave it closed and call the gas company.

Can I turn my own gas back on after shutting it off?

No. SoCalGas states that "only our field employees are allowed to turn on the natural gas to your meter," and PG&E asks that a representative or qualified professional perform a safety check, restore service, and relight the pilots. Turning it on yourself can leave gas flowing to unlit pilots inside the house.

Where is the main water shutoff valve in a house?

Where the supply line enters the building: a basement wall, crawl space, utility closet, garage, or an exterior wall or box on the street side in warm climates. It's a lever that turns 90 degrees or a round wheel that turns clockwise to close. The valve out by the street on the meter is the curb stop, which belongs to the utility.

Do you turn off the main breaker first or the individual breakers?

Individual branch breakers first, then the main. ESFI's flood guidance is to "flip each breaker and THEN turn off the main breaker." Reverse the order to restore: main first, then the branch circuits one at a time. Never touch a wet panel or stand in water to reach one.

Should I shut off the water to my water heater in an emergency?

Close the cold water intake to the heater so the tank keeps clean water, but turn off the heater's gas or electricity first. A standard tank holds around 50 gallons, which Colorado State University Extension calls the best indoor emergency water source. Open a hot water faucet to vent it, then draw water from the drain valve at the bottom. It can come out scalding hot.

Twenty minutes on a Saturday, three photographs, and one honest conversation about which valve nobody touches. That's the whole project, and it's one of the highest-return hours in household preparedness.

You never know, but you can always be ready.

Sources: American Red Cross, Checking Your Home's Utilities and Major Systems; Ready.gov, Build A Kit; SoCalGas, How to Shut Off Your Natural Gas; SoCalGas, Emergency Preparedness; SoCalGas, Home Energy and Safety Guide; PG&E, Gas Safety; PG&E, Understanding Gas Outages; PG&E, Natural Disaster Safety; San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Home Water Shutoff Valve; Colorado State University Extension, Emergency Water Supplies and Treatment; Electrical Safety Foundation International, Flood Electrical Safety; City of Forney, Texas, How To Turn Off Your Electricity.