How to Shut Off Your Utilities: Water, Gas and Electricity in an Emergency
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Quick answer: learn where your main water valve, gas meter shutoff and electrical panel are before an emergency, and keep any tool you need next to them. Shut off water for a burst or leaking pipe. For gas, act only if you smell gas, hear a hissing or blowing sound, or officials tell you to, and leave the building right away; Ready.gov notes that once gas is turned off, a professional must turn it back on. To cut power, switch off individual circuits and then the main, but never touch the panel if you are standing in water or the area is wet. Renters should ask building management where shutoffs are and who controls them.
Emergencies at home often come down to a few minutes. A pipe bursts behind a wall, a storm pushes water toward outlets, or a neighbor reports the smell of gas in the hallway. Knowing how to stop water, gas or power at the source can limit damage, prevent fires and protect the people in your building.
Most people never look at their shutoffs until they need them, and then they are searching in the dark. This guide explains where each shutoff usually is, how it works, when to use it and, just as important, when to leave it alone. It is part of our severe weather preparedness guide, which covers planning for storms, floods and outages more broadly.
Sources: Ready.gov, “Utility Shutoff and Safety” and “Home Fires” guidance; Federal Emergency Management Agency preparedness materials; American Red Cross home safety guidance; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, electrical and gas safety guidance; local utility safety pages. General information only. Follow instructions from your utility company, building management and emergency officials. Checked October 2026.
Why Knowing Your Shutoffs Matters
Ready.gov advises households to locate their utility shutoffs and learn how to use them as part of basic preparedness. The reasons are practical:
- Water damage spreads fast. A burst supply line can release a large volume of water in a short time, soaking floors, ceilings and the apartment below.
- Gas leaks can lead to fires or explosions. Natural gas and propane are flammable, and a leak needs to be stopped and reported quickly.
- Electricity and water do not mix. Flooding, leaks into fixtures and damaged wiring can create shock and fire hazards.
Each utility has its own rules about who should shut it off and when. Getting them right protects you and keeps you from creating new problems, such as a gas outage that takes days to restore.
Before an Emergency: Find and Label Everything
Spend twenty minutes on a calm day locating each shutoff. Take a phone photo of each one and print a simple map for your kit.
- Water: look for the main valve where the water line enters the home. In houses, it is often in the basement, a crawl space, a utility room or near the water heater. In apartments, there may be a valve under the kitchen sink or in a utility closet, and individual fixtures usually have their own small valves.
- Gas: the main shutoff is typically on the pipe leading into the gas meter, outdoors or in a basement. Many appliances also have their own shutoff valve on the line behind them.
- Electricity: the breaker panel or fuse box is usually in a hallway, closet, garage, basement or utility room. In apartment buildings, each unit often has its own panel inside the unit.
Label the main breaker and the individual circuits if they are not already marked. Tag the main water valve with bright tape. If a tool is needed, such as an adjustable wrench for a gas valve, keep it attached or stored right next to the valve.
How to Shut Off Water
Shutting off water is the shutoff most people will actually use, because leaks are common and the action carries little risk.
When to do it:
- A pipe has burst or is leaking heavily.
- A water heater, washing machine hose or toilet supply line fails.
- Officials warn that the water supply may be contaminated and ask residents to isolate home plumbing. Ready.gov notes that shutting off the main can keep contaminated water from entering your home’s pipes in some emergencies.
- You are evacuating in freezing weather and want to reduce the chance of frozen pipes bursting while you are gone, if your utility or building recommends it.
How:
- For a single fixture, turn the small valve under the sink or behind the toilet clockwise until it stops.
- For the whole home, find the main valve. A round wheel-style valve turns clockwise to close. A lever-style ball valve closes with a quarter turn so the handle sits crosswise to the pipe.
- Open a faucet on the lowest level to drain remaining pressure if the leak continues.
Turn water back on slowly once repairs are done, and check for leaks. If the valve is stiff, do not force it with heavy tools, which can break it. Call a plumber or building maintenance.
How to Shut Off Gas
Gas requires the most caution. Ready.gov’s utility guidance is clear on two points: only turn off the gas if you smell gas, hear a blowing or hissing noise, or are told to by officials, and once gas is shut off at the meter, only a qualified professional should turn it back on.
If you smell gas or hear a leak:
- Leave the building immediately with everyone inside. Do not stop to collect belongings.
- Do not use light switches, phones, lighters or anything that could create a spark while inside.
- If you can reach the meter safely outdoors and know how, turn the gas off.
- Call the gas utility’s emergency number or 911 from a safe distance outside.
How the meter valve works: on many residential meters, the shutoff is a valve on the inlet pipe with a rectangular tab. When the tab is parallel to the pipe, gas is flowing. Use an adjustable wrench to turn the tab a quarter turn so it is crosswise to the pipe. Utilities publish diagrams for their own meters, so check your provider’s safety page.
Do not shut off gas just because the power is out or a storm is coming. Restoring service requires a technician to check for leaks and relight pilot lights, and after a large disaster that can take days or weeks.
How to Shut Off Electricity
Turning off power at the panel can prevent fires and shocks when water is reaching outlets or wiring, when you smell burning from wiring, or when officials advise it before flooding.
How:
- Make sure you are standing on a dry surface and your hands are dry.
- Switch off the individual circuit breakers first, one by one.
- Then switch off the main breaker, usually the large breaker at the top of the panel.
- For older fuse boxes, pull the main fuse block or unscrew individual fuses.
Switching off the smaller circuits before the main reduces arcing when the main is turned off. Use a flashlight rather than a candle while you work.
Never touch the panel if water is near it or if you are standing in water. Leave the building and call the electric utility or 911. Do not enter a flooded basement where the power may still be on.
Special Rules for Renters and Apartment Residents
If you rent, many shutoffs may be locked, shared or controlled by the building. Before an emergency:
- Ask management or your landlord where the water valves for your unit are and whether there is a main valve you are allowed to use.
- Find out who controls the gas meter. In many buildings, meters are in a locked room. Know the emergency contact for building staff.
- Locate your unit’s breaker panel and confirm it controls your apartment.
- Save the after-hours maintenance number in your phone and on paper in your kit.
- Know your lease terms about reporting leaks and damage.
In a multi-unit building, a leak in your apartment can flood the units below in minutes. Shutting off the fixture valve and calling maintenance right away is the most important thing you can do. Our apartment emergency kit guide covers the other supplies and contacts worth keeping ready at home.
Tools to Keep Near Your Shutoffs
A small set of tools makes the job faster:
| Tool | Used for | Where to keep it |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable wrench (10 to 12 inch) | Gas meter valve, stiff water valves | Tied or stored next to the gas meter |
| Flashlight or headlamp | Reading labels in the dark | Near the breaker panel and in your kit |
| Work gloves | Handling sharp valve covers | With the wrench |
| Rubber-soled shoes | Standing near the panel | By the door |
| Printed shutoff map | Guiding others in the household | Taped inside the panel door and in your kit |
| Bucket and towels | Catching water from a leak | Under a sink or in a utility closet |
Some cities and utilities sell or give away combination gas and water shutoff tools. If you use one, practice with it on the water valve, not on the gas meter.
Turning Utilities Back On
Restoring service carefully matters as much as shutting it off.
- Water: open the main slowly, then open faucets to let air out of the pipes. Watch for leaks and listen for running water.
- Electricity: make sure everything is dry and appliances are unplugged. Turn the main back on, then individual circuits one at a time. If a breaker trips again, leave it off and call an electrician.
- Gas: do not turn it back on yourself. Call the gas company or a licensed professional, as Ready.gov advises.
After flooding, have an electrician inspect wiring and outlets that were underwater before using them. Flood-damaged appliances may also need to be inspected or replaced.
Power Outages and Generators
A power outage is not the same as shutting off your electricity, but the two overlap. During an outage, unplug sensitive electronics so a surge does not damage them when power returns, and leave one light switched on so you know when service comes back.
If you use a portable generator, never connect it to your home’s wiring without a properly installed transfer switch. Backfeeding power into the lines can injure utility workers and neighbors. Our guide on generator safety, placement and fuel storage covers carbon monoxide risks and safe distances. If someone in your household relies on powered medical equipment, see our guide to backup power for medical devices.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
These errors come up again and again:
- Turning off the gas “just in case.” It can leave you without heat or hot water for days while you wait for a technician.
- Forcing a stuck valve with a pipe wrench and breaking it, which makes the leak worse.
- Wading through water to reach the breaker panel.
- Not telling neighbors or building staff about a leak that could affect their units.
- Losing the tool the moment it is needed because it was borrowed for another job.
- Assuming every adult in the home knows the plan. Walk each person through it.
Teach Everyone in the Household
Ready.gov recommends that all responsible adults in a household know where the shutoffs are and how to use them. Older children can learn where the valves are and who to call, even if they should not operate the gas meter themselves.
Practice once a year. Walk to the water valve and turn it off and on. Open the breaker panel and point out the main. Look at the gas meter and confirm where the wrench is stored. Then update your printed map if anything has changed, such as a new appliance or a renovation that moved the panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I turn off my gas before a hurricane or storm?
Generally no, unless your utility or local officials tell you to. Ready.gov advises turning gas off only if you smell gas, hear a leak or are instructed to, because a professional must turn it back on.
How do I know which way to turn a water valve?
Round wheel valves close clockwise. Lever-style ball valves close with a quarter turn so the handle sits crosswise to the pipe.
Can I turn my gas back on myself?
No. Once gas is shut off at the meter, call the gas company or a licensed professional to check for leaks and relight pilot lights safely.
Is it safe to turn off the breaker if there is water on the floor?
No. If you would need to stand in water or the panel area is wet, leave the building and call the electric utility or 911.
What should renters do if a pipe bursts?
Shut off the valve under the fixture if you can, then call building maintenance or your landlord immediately. Ask in advance where the main valve for your unit is.
