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The lot

Street to back fence

  1. 1 Meter or well house
  2. 2 House and crawlspace
  3. 3 Water heater AI picture
  4. 4 Septic tank lids
  5. 5 Drainfield and yard

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The house and the crawlspace under it

Most ramblers and older farmhouses here sit over a crawlspace, so the supply pipes run under the floor where cold air and damp can reach them. Know where the main shutoff is before you need it, and look under the house for leaks after a cold snap.

Small single-storey blue house with a red roof, wet lawn and tall conifers in Tenino, Washington
Small single-storey blue house with a red roof, wet lawn and tall conifers in Tenino, WashingtonLook for: the vents low on the foundation wall, and an outdoor faucet nearby; the main shutoff is often just inside that wall.

Under the floor you will usually find the supply lines, the main shutoff on the house side, and a vapor barrier over bare ground. Look from the hatch first; if standing water is near any wiring, stay out. The main shutoff page shows where the valve tends to hide in ramblers and farmhouses, frozen pipes covers cold snaps without any flame, and leaks in the crawlspace lists what wet patches and crusted fittings tell you.

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Back toward the street: stop 1Meter or well houseOn toward the back fence: stop 3Water heater AI picture