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How to turn off water if pipes are frozen, burst or leaking

Stan's Heating, Air & Plumbing provided tips on water heaters as well.

AUSTIN, Texas — After days of below-freezing weather and no power, and as things slowly begin to warm up, it's going to be a busy week for Austin-area plumbers.

Stan's Heating Air & Plumbing said the company is getting loads of calls concerning frozen pipes, busted pipes and leaky water heaters.

Because road conditions are still dangerous, the experts are working to provide as much information as possible virtually to residents in need.

"When it comes to shutting down the water to your house, every house a little bit different, but typically there's two or three ways to do it," said Brian Cardwell, vice president of plumbing services.

1) Call your local City to have them come locate their main water shut-off valve on your property.

2) If you have a homeowner shut-off valve, locate it, open the lid and turn the lever.

Wondering how to turn off a gas water heater or tankless water heater?

You should be able to find a shut-off valve and lever near the top of the heater. Turn it a quarter-turn clockwise to turn the water off.

"This way, if your water heater is leaking water, you can cut the water off to prevent damage to your property and still have cold water in your house to use for cooking, drinking and using the restroom," said Cardwell.

For homeowners who have a water softener, locate your shut-off valve. This should turn the water off to the softener, which essentially cuts it off to your entire home.

Cardwell said, occasionally, you may have hose bibs outside your house that may be separate, so you'll want to make sure you turn those off at the streets as well.

He also noted that when it comes to frozen pipes, homeowners often forget about their sprinkler systems. If you have one, you'll want to make sure you find the valves, which are usually located in the ground, and turn those off as well.

Sorry, you might have to dig for it under the snow!

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