Your plumbing shut off valve in Smyrna, GA is usually at one of three places: where the water line enters the house, at the meter near the property edge, or behind each fixture. Knowing all three lets you stop a leak at the smallest possible scope, from one toilet to the entire house.
The most useful habit is to find and test them on a calm day. A valve that has not been turned in years can stick, leak or snap when you need it most. This guide shows where to look, how to tell the valve types apart and what to do in the first minutes of a leak.
The three levels of shutoff
The main shutoff controls the whole house. It is often in a basement, crawlspace, garage, utility closet or an outside box near where the line enters. The meter valve sits at the meter, at the property edge, and is usually the utility's valve. Fixture stops are the small oval or round handles under sinks and behind toilets.
Use the smallest shutoff that solves the problem. A dripping faucet needs only its own stop. A burst pipe needs the main. A leak between the meter and the house means the main valve inside, or a call to the utility to close the meter valve if the inside one will not turn.
| Valve | Controls | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Meter valve | Water to the whole property | In the meter box at the property edge. |
| Main shutoff | Water to the whole house | Where the line enters, inside or in an outside box. |
| Water heater valve | Cold water into the tank | On the cold line at the top of the heater. |
| Fixture stop | One sink, toilet or appliance | Under the sink or behind the toilet. |
| Outdoor hose bib valve | Exterior spigot | Inside the wall or crawlspace behind the faucet. |
Gate valves and ball valves
A gate valve has a round wheel handle that you turn several times. Inside, a wedge lifts and lowers. Gate valves in older homes can corrode and stick, and the handle may spin without moving the gate. A ball valve has a lever that turns a quarter turn. When the lever lines up with the pipe, the valve is open. When it sits across the pipe, it is closed.
Ball valves are quicker and more reliable in an emergency. Many plumbers replace a failing gate valve at the main with a ball valve during other work. Turn gate valves slowly and stop if they resist, because forcing one can break the stem.
Testing your valves on a calm day
Do this once a year. It takes about ten minutes.
Smyrna note: the meter and the line are yours
The Cobb County Water System customer guide says the meter is set at the property edge, and the property owner is responsible for all piping and fixtures on the customer's side of it. Per the county guide, a burst between the meter and your house is the owner's repair, and Smyrna Utilities at 678-631-5338 can confirm how that applies at your address. The meter valve belongs to the utility, so call them if your inside main fails.
Cobb County Water System lists a 24-hour emergency dispatch line, 770-419-6201, for large leaks after hours. The county line is aimed at its own customers, and Smyrna buys treated water from the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, so confirm the right number on your own bill or call the Smyrna Utilities Department at 678-631-5338. Leave the meter valve to the utility unless they tell you otherwise.
The Christmas 2022 freeze made this concrete. Pipes burst at hundreds of Cobb buildings, and most calls came after the thaw began. A house with a known, working main valve loses far less water than one where the owner has to search.
Valves and supply parts that touch drinking water should be listed to NSF/ANSI 61, and shutoffs are installed to the International Plumbing Code (IPC) as Smyrna has adopted it with Georgia amendments. Ask the Smyrna Building Division what the code requires at each fixture.
What to do in the first minutes of a leak
Emergency shutoff checklist
Do this in order. Speed matters more than perfection.
- Close the nearest fixture stop if the leak is at a sink or toilet.
- If water is spraying from a pipe, close the main shutoff right away.
- Open a low faucet and a high one to drain the lines and relieve pressure.
- Turn off the water heater power or gas if the tank may drain.
- Move valuables, photograph the damage and call a licensed plumber.
Do not touch electrical panels or outlets if water is near them. If the water is reaching an outlet or a panel, leave the area and call the power company or 911.
Pipe burst and you cannot find the valve?
Call the 24/7 line. A licensed plumber can help you find the shutoff and give a clear price before work starts.
When a valve needs replacing
Replace a valve that leaks at the stem, will not close fully or has a handle that spins freely. Corroded fixture stops are cheap to swap, but they can break during removal if the pipe is brittle. A plumber can install a new stop with the water off at the main.
If you find a main valve that is stuck, do not wait for an emergency. Our burst pipe repair work sometimes includes replacing a failed main valve, because a working one limits the damage. If you are chasing a slow, hidden loss instead, leak detection can find it.
Label and document
Tag the main with a bright label, and tell everyone in the house where it is. Take a photo of each valve and keep it with your home records. A guest, a house sitter or a teenager should be able to find it without calling you.
Where we work
We send licensed plumbers across Smyrna and take calls from nearby towns such as those on the Mableton plumber page. The service area page lists the rest.
Shutoff valve questions
It is usually where the water line enters the house, such as a basement, crawlspace, garage or utility room, or in an outside box. Trace the line from the meter if you cannot find it.
Turn a wheel handle clockwise to close it. A lever handle closes when it sits across the pipe, a quarter turn from the open position. Always test slowly.
Old gate valves corrode inside and the stem can seize. Do not force it, because the stem can snap. A plumber can replace it with a ball valve.
It is the utility's equipment and may be locked. Use your inside main first, and call the utility if you must shut off at the meter.
Per the Cobb County Water System guide, the owner is responsible for piping on the customer's side of the meter. Confirm with the Smyrna Utilities Department at 678-631-5338 how that applies to your address.
Have a plumbing problem right now? The line is open 24/7.
Call (770) 214-4545