No water anywhere in the house

Losing water at every tap at once is alarming, but it usually points to one upstream thing — most often a main valve that got left closed — not a house full of failed plumbing.

tuneQue remarquez-vous?

Sélectionnez ce qui correspond et la liste ci-dessous se réordonne. Pas certain? Passez.

emergency_home

flag

Commencez ici

In Canada, check your main shutoff valve first. It's where the water line enters the house — often near the water meter, in a basement, crawlspace, or utility room. If the handle is crosswise to the pipe (a lever) or barely cracked open (a round wheel), open it fully and test a tap. This is free and by far the most common fix, especially right after any plumbing work.

Classé selon des données de pannes réelles. L’ordre s’ajuste selon vos observations ci-dessus.

Causes probables, dans l’ordre à vérifier

Ordre typique affiché

Pour débutant Faisable, avec soin Sécurité critique Appelez un pro

visibilityHow to find and check your main shutoff

Find where the water line enters the house — usually the basement, a crawlspace, or a utility room, typically near the water meter and on the wall facing the street.
Identify the valve type. A lever (ball valve) is OPEN when the handle is in line with the pipe and CLOSED when it's crosswise. A round wheel (gate valve) opens by turning counter-clockwise, often several full turns.
Open it fully — lever in line with the pipe, or wheel turned all the way open — then run the nearest cold tap. Water returning confirms the valve was the cause. While you're here, note this valve's location so you can shut it fast in an emergency.

buildAucun outil schedule5 min

handymanHow to fix it

Open the main shutoff valve fully — lever in line with the pipe, or round wheel turned all the way counter-clockwise — then confirm water returns at a tap. If an old wheel valve is seized or weeps once opened, leave it and have a plumber replace it.

Open the valve slowly and fully. For a lever, bring the handle in line with the pipe; for a wheel, turn counter-clockwise until it stops, then back off a quarter-turn.
Run a cold tap and let air sputter out — pressure and flow should return within a minute across the house.
Watch the valve body and stem for a minute. A valve that drips or won't fully open is worn; leave it open, put a bucket under any drip, and book a plumber to replace it.

schedule5 min savingssouvent gratuit

handymanHow to fix it

report Well systems mix electricity and water pressureA well pressure switch carries the pump's full line voltage, and the tank holds water under pressure — a bad combination for guessing. Resetting the breaker once is fine; opening the pressure switch, bleeding the tank, or rewiring the pump is not homeowner territory. If the breaker won't hold or the gauge stays flat, leave it and call a licensed well/pump technician or plumber — a repeatedly tripping pump breaker is protecting you from a fault.

Reset the well pump's breaker once and watch the tank pressure gauge recover. If the breaker trips again, the gauge stays flat, or the pressure switch is arcing or waterlogged, stop and call a well/pump professional — the switch carries line voltage and the tank is under pressure.

At the electrical panel, find the breaker labelled for the well or pump. Switch it fully OFF, then back ON, once.
Watch the pressure gauge on the tank. It should climb back to its normal cut-out pressure within a minute or two and water should return to the taps.
If the breaker trips again immediately, the gauge won't build, or you see water, scorching, or arcing at the pressure switch, stop. Do not keep resetting it — call a licensed well/pump technician or plumber.

schedule15 min savingssouvent gratuit

gavel Vérifiez d’abord votre province AB: permis au propriétaire · BC: permis au propriétaire · ON: permis et inspection requis · PE: permis au propriétaire · QC: réservé aux licenciés
Resetting a pump breaker is an owner action everywhere; opening/rewiring the pressure switch is electrical work — confirm the provincial rule before presenting it as DIY.

verifiedPourquoi confier ceci à un pro

A service or supply line that froze may have cracked, and it will leak or burst the moment it thaws. Never thaw a pipe with an open flame, and don't force water back into a line you can't see. In deep cold this is a licensed plumber's job — and for the buried run between the house and the street, your municipality's. Keep the main shutoff handy so you can stop a burst fast, and get a pro on the line before you warm anything.

Vos notes accompagnent la demande — ce que vous avez vu, ce que vous avez éliminé, quand ça a commencé — pour que le pro arrive avec une longueur d’avance.

verifiedPourquoi confier ceci à un pro

The curb stop at the property line and the buried service line belong to the utility, and forcing a seized street-side valve can break it or flood the pit. If the meter valve or curb stop is off, or the buried line has failed, call your municipality or a licensed plumber to confirm and restore supply — this is supply-side work, not a homeowner repair.

Vos notes accompagnent la demande — ce que vous avez vu, ce que vous avez éliminé, quand ça a commencé — pour que le pro arrive avec une longueur d’avance.

sort

Pourquoi la liste est dans cet ordre

Nous ne classons pas seulement selon la probabilité. Nous classons comme le ferait un bon artisan honnête : éliminer d’abord les causes gratuites, sûres et courantes. C’est pourquoi les vérifications peu coûteuses passent avant les réparations chères — et pourquoi tout ce qui est dangereux reçoit un arrêt net plutôt qu’un encouragement. Cet ordre existe pour vous faire économiser, pas pour vous vendre quelque chose.