To shut off your home's water supply in an emergency: find your main shutoff valve (usually in the crawlspace, utility room, or at the street meter box), and turn it off — ball valves turn 90°, gate valves turn clockwise until they stop. Knowing this location before a pipe bursts can prevent thousands of dollars in water damage. After shutting off water, call SC Master Plumber Eric Callaway at Plumbing Paramedic 911: (864) 446-8911.
Why You Need to Know This Now
I've responded to hundreds of emergency calls across Abbeville, Greenwood, and McCormick County where the homeowner had no idea where their shutoff was. While they were searching, water was spreading under floors, into walls, and soaking insulation. By the time I arrived, a repair that would have cost a few hundred dollars had turned into a multi-thousand dollar water damage claim.
The shutoff takes 30 seconds to turn. Finding it in a panic can take 30 minutes. Locate it this weekend and write it down on a piece of tape on your water heater.
Where Is the Main Water Shutoff in an Upstate SC Home?
The location depends on when your home was built and the water source (municipal or well). Here are the three most common locations:
1. Inside the Crawlspace (Most Common in Abbeville County)
Most homes in the Abbeville, Due West, and Calhoun Falls area are built on crawlspace foundations. The main supply line enters through the foundation wall, usually near the front of the house. Look for a brass or copper valve on the pipe closest to where it enters the structure. This is most often a gate valve (round wheel handle) or a ball valve (lever handle).
2. In a Utility Room, Basement, or Garage
Newer construction in Greenwood and Anderson often brings the main supply into a utility room or garage. The shutoff is on the pipe before it branches to the water heater, hose bibs, and fixtures. It's usually within 3–5 feet of where the pipe enters the home.
3. At the Street Meter Box
Every home with municipal water has a meter box at the curb or sidewalk — a concrete box with a lid, usually marked "Water." Inside is the meter and a shutoff valve. You'll need a meter key or channel-lock pliers to turn it. This is your last resort if you can't find the inside shutoff, or if the inside valve is frozen or corroded.
Well Water Homes (McCormick, Starr, Iva, Rural Areas)
If you're on well water, there is no street meter. Your shutoff is at the pressure tank — a large tank (usually blue or white) in the crawlspace, utility room, or garage. There will be a valve on the pipe coming from the well to the pressure tank, and another on the output side going to the house. Turn either one to stop water flow. If the pump itself is the problem, you can also flip the circuit breaker for the well pump to cut power.
How to Turn Off the Valve
Identify the Valve Type
Ball valve: Has a lever handle. When the lever is parallel to the pipe, water is flowing. Turn it 90° so the lever is perpendicular to the pipe. Done. Gate valve: Has a round wheel (looks like a small steering wheel). Turn clockwise until it stops — this can take several full rotations.
Open a Faucet to Relieve Pressure
After turning off the main, open the lowest faucet in the house (a hose bib outside or a utility sink in the crawlspace) to drain remaining pressure from the lines. This reduces dripping from the damaged pipe while you wait for the plumber.
Turn Off Your Water Heater
If the shutoff is going to be off for more than an hour, turn off your water heater too. For electric: flip the circuit breaker. For gas: turn the dial to "Pilot." Running a water heater dry can damage the heating element or cause the unit to overheat.
Call a Licensed Plumber
Once the water is off, you've contained the damage. Now call Plumbing Paramedic 911 at (864) 446-8911 — we dispatch 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
What If the Valve Won't Turn?
Older gate valves in crawlspaces can seize up if they haven't been touched in years. Do not force it with a pipe wrench — you may snap the valve body and make things worse. Use the street meter shutoff as a backup. Once the emergency is over, add "replace old gate valve with ball valve" to your repair list — a ball valve lasts indefinitely and will always turn easily.
Before the Next Emergency: Make a Shutoff Map
Take five minutes this week to do the following:
- Find your main shutoff and test it (turn it off and back on)
- Write the location on a piece of masking tape on your water heater or electrical panel
- Show every adult in the household where it is
- Locate the individual shutoffs under each toilet and sink (useful for isolated fixture problems)
- Save this number in your phone: (864) 446-8911
A 30-second shutoff followed by a call to a licensed plumber is always better than 20 minutes of water spreading through your home.
When to Call Us
If you've shut off the water and you're dealing with any of the following, call Plumbing Paramedic 911 immediately:
- Burst or frozen pipe
- Water visible in walls, under flooring, or in the crawlspace
- Sewage backup (shutting off the water supply won't stop a backed-up sewer)
- Water heater failure or overflow
- Shutoff valve that won't close or is leaking