When a pipe bursts, a tap breaks, or a flexible hose suddenly comes loose, water doesn’t politely trickle out – it can gush quickly, flooding floors, cabinets and electrics in minutes. In those moments, the most important thing is to stop the flow.

If you already know exactly where the main shut-off valve is – in the bathroom, near the meter, under the kitchen sink, or at a corridor point – you can run straight there and turn it off. Even if you can’t fix the problem yourself, you’ve stopped it from getting worse.

If you don’t know, you’ll waste precious time searching, asking neighbours, or calling someone while water continues to spread.

Taking a few minutes on a calm day to locate and test the main valve (and any local shut-offs) can save you from a lot of panic and damage later.