If no faucet in the house has water, first check with neighbors and your water utility for an outage or a main break. If it's only your home, look for a closed main valve, an unpaid-bill shutoff, a frozen pipe in cold weather, or a major leak. On a private well, the usual cause is a tripped breaker or a failed pump or pressure switch.
Reviewed by Ron Olsen, Master Plumber, certified in Washington
Why a House Loses Water
- Utility outage or water main break
- Repairs or a break in the street can cut off service to a whole neighborhood.
- Closed main shutoff valve
- Someone may have closed the valve during a repair, or a corroded valve has failed shut.
- Frozen pipes
- In freezing weather, ice can block the line where it enters the home or in exposed sections.
- Major leak or broken service line
- A break in the line between the meter and the house can drop the pressure to nothing.
- Well pump problem
- On a private well, a tripped breaker, failed pressure switch or failed pump stops the water supply.
What You Can Safely Check
- Ask neighbors, and check your water utility's website or outage line.
- Make sure the main shutoff valve is fully open.
- In freezing weather, look for frosty or bulging pipes where the line enters the house.
- On a well, check the pump's breaker and the pressure gauge on the tank.
- Turn off the water heater if the water will be off for a long time.
When to Call a Plumber
Call a plumber if the utility confirms service is on but your home has no water, if you suspect a frozen or broken line, or if your well pump won't run. Thawing pipes and finding a broken service line take the right tools.
The repair is usually part of emergency plumbing, which explains what the plumber does and what affects the cost.
Other Emergency Plumbing Problems
No Water Questions
Should I turn off my water heater if there's no water?
Yes, if the outage will last a while. Turn electric units off at the breaker and set gas units to pilot until water returns and the tank refills.
Why do the faucets sputter when the water comes back?
Air gets trapped in the pipes during an outage. Open the faucets slowly and let them run until the flow is steady.