Where is my stopcock? A shut-off checklist for water, power and gas

Quick checklist

Where is my stopcock? The water shut-off

The stopcock (also called the internal stop tap) is the valve that stops water coming into your home. It is a small tap on the incoming pipe, often with a round or lever handle. Look in these places:

• Under the kitchen sink, which is the most common spot.
• A utility room, airing cupboard or downstairs toilet.
• Just inside the front door, or under the stairs.
• A cupboard or meter box near the front of the house.

Flats and shared buildings differ. You may share a supply with other homes, or the main valve may be in a communal area or cupboard. If you rent or live in a flat, ask your landlord or managing agent where it is and who can use it. Do not force a lock or a cover that belongs to someone else.

Outside, there is usually a second valve in the pavement or boundary, called the external stop tap. It belongs to the water company, so do not use it yourself. Call your water company if you need it turned off.

How to test it gently, once a year

A stopcock that is never used can seize. As our reasonable practice, not official guidance, turn it fully off and back on once a year. Clockwise usually closes it. Go gently and stop if it will not move. A stuck valve is a job for a plumber, not for a wrench and force.

1. Close the valve by turning it clockwise until it stops.
2. Open a cold tap downstairs. The flow should slow and stop.
3. Open the stopcock again and let the pipes refill.
4. Tie on a tag, or use a shut-off label set (Retailer link coming soon), saying "stopcock, turn clockwise to close".

If the valve drips or will not close fully, ask a plumber to look at it. Our guide to what to do when the water supply is off covers the longer-term plan.

The fuse box: know where it is, and leave it alone

Your fuse box is now usually called a consumer unit. It is a grey or white box with switches, often in a hall cupboard, under the stairs, in a utility room or by the front door. In a flat it may be in a shared cupboard.

Your job is to know where it is. Keep a torch beside it, so you can see it in a power cut. A torch kept by the fuse board (Retailer link coming soon) on a hook or in a drawer is a cheap addition. Check the batteries when you test your smoke alarms. Our guide to how to store batteries shows how.

You can lift the front flap to see if a switch has tripped, but never remove the cover, take anything out or touch the wiring. That is a job for a qualified electrician. If you smell burning, see scorch marks or hear buzzing from it, leave it alone and call an electrician. In an emergency or if there is a fire, call 999.

The gas meter and emergency control valve

Find your gas meter. It may be in a box outside, in a cupboard, in the hall or in a shared meter room. Near it is the emergency control valve, the main gas tap for your home. Know where it is, and note any cover or lock.

If you smell gas, or think there is a leak:

1. Open doors and windows if it is safe.
2. Do not switch anything electrical on or off, and do not use a flame or smoke.
3. Leave the house. Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 from outside, and follow their guidance on turning off the gas.
4. Do not go back in until you are told it is safe.

Never attempt a DIY repair of any gas pipe, appliance or meter. That is for a Gas Safe registered engineer. Check that yours is on the Gas Safe Register.

A burst pipe: what to do

If a pipe bursts:

1. Turn off the stopcock.
2. Call a plumber, and tell your landlord or insurer if they need to know.
3. Move belongings away from the water if it is safe.
4. Keep away from electrics near water. If water is near sockets, lights or the consumer unit, do not touch them. Call a qualified electrician, and call 999 if anyone is at risk.

Our household emergency plan page has a place to write the numbers down.

Early warning for leaks

A small water leak detector alarm (Retailer link coming soon) sits on the floor under a sink, by a washing machine or under a boiler, and sounds when it gets wet. It will not stop a leak, but it can give you notice. Look for one that you can hear from another room, and that takes batteries you can swap.

Do this today (free)

1. Look under the kitchen sink and in the utility room for the stopcock.
2. Write where each shut-off is on a card and stick it inside a kitchen cupboard door.
3. Save 0800 111 999 in your phone.
4. Show everyone in the house, including teenagers, where the stopcock is.
5. Ask your landlord or managing agent if you cannot find it.

If you have £10, £25 or £50

These are budgets, not quotes. Check the current price first.

• About £10: a pack of luggage tags or a label set, and a torch for the fuse board.
• About £25: add a leak detector for the kitchen or utility room.
• About £50: add a second detector for the bathroom, a head torch and spare batteries.

A head torch (Retailer link coming soon) leaves both hands free when you check a valve or reach under a sink.

Sources and further reading

• Be ready for emergencies: checklist and household plan
• National Gas
• Gas Safe Register
• Electrical Safety First