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When a leak develops in your house, turning the water off quickly is essential to minimizing the damage in your home so do a little planning now while there’s no emergency. Look for the nearest shutoff valve ‘upstream’ of each fixture, in an emergency close that valve first, turning it clockwise until it’s tight. Not sure which way to turn the valve? Remember: “Left loosens, right tightens.” When all else fails you should know where the main shut off valve is located for the whole house. This is usually located on the house side of your water meter… typically in the front yard, near the street. Remember: Little-used valves can become stuck with age so check them out with a turn or two and lubricate them to insure they’ll work smoothly if you need them in an emergency.