MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The February Freeze is expected to continue with even colder temperatures. Do you know how to cut the water to your home if your pipes burst?
A master plumber with Conway Services walked WREG through it step-by-step.
Bruce Bates said many people don’t think about how to turn their water off until there’s an emergency.
“As a professional, we don’t recommend using that shutoff valve inside of the house,” Bates said. That is because he believes they can be hard to find, hard to turn, and many have not been touched since a house was built.
He said to make sure you know where your outdoor meter is and be sure it’s free of ice.
Bates said the valve should appear in line with the meter. He said it’s best to use a meter key, which are between $20 and $30 at many hardware stores, to turn the valve 90 degrees, which shuts the water off.
Watch the video included with this story for a better idea of how to prepare yourself.