Types of Water Shutoff Valves and How to Choose One (2024)

Your home's plumbing system has a variety of water shutoff valves, which turn off water to specific areas or your entire home during emergencies, repairs, or upgrades. Whether you're looking to replace a broken valve or making new installations, you'll need to know what type of valve is best for your home and situation.

There are several different types of water shutoff valves you could come across when making repairs and installing new plumbing. Below, we'll break down the ins and outs of what water valves do, each water shutoff valve type, and the factors to consider when choosing one for a project.

What Water Shutoff Valves Do

Water shutoff valves are fittings used in plumbing, which can control anything from individual fixtures such as faucets and toilets, to your home's entire water system.

The most common types of water shutoff valves for homes are ball valves and gate valves (found on main water pipes), angled and straight fixture shutoff valves (found on faucets, toilets, and appliances), and globe valves and stop-and-waste valves (found outdoors).

Valves generally work in one of two ways: either a solid internal part rotates to open or block the flow of water, or a stem with a washer or seal squeezes down to stop water flow.

As a homeowner, it's important to know where your home's main water shutoff valve is in order to shut off the entire water supply—and to be aware of the other valves, both indoors and outdoors. These valves control your garden hoses, sprinkler systems, and every single fixture water flows from in your home.

If you are installing a new sink or toilet while renovating, troubleshooting a washing machine, or repairing a leaky faucet, you'll need to know how to shut off the water to that specific area, and which type of water shutoff valve is compatible with your new or broken fixture.

How Shutoff Valves Are Connected

One important factor to consider when selecting the right water shutoff valve for your project is its connection type. Based on the material and type of pipe the valve will be connected to, the water pressure it needs to withstand, and the location of the pipe and valve, you'll need to find a valve with a compatible connection type to create a leak-proof seal.

The main types of valve connections in residential plumbing are:

• Threaded: valves with threaded connections act as fittings for threaded steel pipes to be screwed into; these pipes can be found on the main water line and some indoor fixtures.
• Compression: valves with compression connections are typically used on copper and plastic pipes, and are sealed by tightening a nut and ring.
• Push-in or push-to-connect: push-in valves are the easiest to install, are used on water supply lines to fixtures and appliances, and with copper, PEX, and PVC pipes.
• Soldered: sometimes seen in older homes with copper plumbing, soldered valves are sealed and secured to pipes using heat— which should only be done by a professional.

Shutoff Valve Materials

Another factor to keep in mind for your water shutoff valve is the material it is made of. The most popular choice is brass, due to its versatility, price, ability to be used indoors and outdoors, and resistance to corrosion over time. Stainless steel valves can also be used in the same settings, but tend to be more expensive.

In some low-pressure and low-temperature situations, such as a cold water supply line, plastic valves made from PVC, CPVC, and polypropylene are sometimes used for cost-effectiveness.

Where Shutoff Valves Are Located

Individual water shutoff valves (or isolation valves) can be found all over your home; behind appliances, under sinks, and around other fixtures. It's very to know where these smaller valves are, but knowing the location of your main water shutoff valve is absolutely crucial.

The main water shutoff valve will always be found along your main water line. It could be indoors in a basem*nt or crawlspace or near your water heater, or outdoors near your water meter, on a wall outside your home in warmer states, or underneath a panel in your backyard.

There are seven common types of water shutoff valves you could see in and around your home. Use the guide below to learn where each type can be located, and what they look like:

Ball Valve

A ball valve is almost always used for a main water pipe. They are large metal valves, usually with lever handles, designed to quickly turn off water. They have a small ball inside with a hole through the middle, which rotates by 90 degrees to open and close the water when the valve's handle is used.

Gate Valve

Another type of valve you may see on your main water pipe is a gate valve, which, as the name implies, controls water flow with a metal gate inside which raises and lowers when the circular handle is turned. Although they are more common in industrial spaces, you might find a gate valve on major water pipes around your property or near your water boiler.

Globe Valve

Typically found on garden hoses and water spigots, a globe valve is a pricey but durable metal water shutoff valve which allows water flow to be gradually controlled rather than simply turned on and off.

Angled Fixture Shutoff Valve

Fixture shutoff valves are the most common valve type you'll find in your home, and can be seen near sink faucets, toilets, and any other fixture that runs water. Angled fixture shutoff valves are usually used when a water pipe comes out of the wall and needs to angle straight upward into a fixture.

Straight Fixture Shutoff Valve

Much like an angled fixture shutoff, a straight shutoff valve is a fairly inexpensive valve made of metal, and operates the same way with a small handle, but it's typically used where a water pipe comes up out of the floor rather than out from the wall.

Stop-and-Waste Valve

A stop-and-waste valve can be found below ground on your sprinkler system and is used to keep sprinkler lines from freezing in the winter. It's a moderately expensive but fairly durable valve made of metal, is turned on and off with a key, and has two openings: one to open and close the flow of water (stop) and the other to allow water to drain from the line (waste).

Needle Valve

Although they are no longer allowed by building codes in many areas due to their unreliability and lack of durability, you might come across a needle valves—or saddle valves—connecting a water supply tube to your fridge or water filter. If you find a needle valve during your plumbing project, you should swap it out for a ball or fixture shutoff valve.