Do You Know Your Home's Three Shut-Offs? Electric, Water and Gas

Every York County home has three shut-offs you should be able to reach in the dark: the main breaker at the top or bottom of the electrical panel, the main water valve where the supply line enters the house, and the gas valves at each appliance and at the meter. Find all three this week, and if you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside.

A burst pipe at 3 a.m. is not the time to start hunting for a valve. I walk through these at final walk-through, and most people have never touched any of them. Here is where each one is, how to read it, and who to call.

Where is my main breaker and what does the amperage number mean?

The main breaker is the single largest switch in your panel, set apart at the very top or bottom, and the number stamped on its handle is your home's total capacity in amps. Panels are usually in the basement, garage or a utility closet.

• 60 to 100 amps: common in older York County homes with gas heat and appliances. Tight for modern loads.
• 150 amps: handles most mid-sized homes with central air.
• 200 amps: the new-construction standard. This Old House notes that since 2015 most new homes have at least 200-amp service, and that an EV charger or other high-load equipment is the usual reason older homes upgrade.

As of March 2026, This Old House puts a 100-to-200-amp panel upgrade at $1,300 to $3,000, averaging about $2,150, before any service-entrance work. The main breaker cuts power to the whole house; switch the individual breakers off first.

What if my panel says Federal Pacific?

Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok panels are the brand nearly every York County home inspector flags. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigated FPE Stab-Lok breakers from 1980 to 1983 after testing found they failed certain UL calibration tests meant to confirm a breaker trips within set time limits under overload. The CPSC closed the case in March 1983 without a determination on safety, so there was never a recall. In practice, buyers ask for replacement, so if you own one, price it before you list.

Where is my main water shut-off and how do I close it?

Look where the water line comes through the foundation, usually the basement wall closest to the street. Family Handyman notes almost all water meters have a shut-off valve just before the meter and another just after.

• Ball valve (straight lever): a quarter turn. In line with the pipe is on; across the pipe is off.
• Gate valve (round wheel): common in older homes. Turn it clockwise several full turns until it stops, and be gentle, because an old gate valve can break.

Give the valve a gentle turn a few times a year. Valves that sit untouched for years seize up and will not budge when you need them. Stuck or weeping means a plumber, not an emergency.

Where are the gas shut-offs and what do I do if I smell gas?

There are two kinds: a small valve on the supply line behind each gas appliance (stove, dryer, water heater, furnace) and the main valve at the meter outside. Both follow the same quarter-turn rule as a water ball valve.

The meter valve needs a wrench, and utilities prefer that only their technicians or a licensed professional operate it. Once gas is off at the meter, only a trained technician should turn it back on, because the lines have to be checked and every pilot relit.

If you smell rotten eggs, do not hunt for the valve. Leave the building right away, do not flip switches, use phones, start the car or open windows on the way out, get well away, and then call. Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania says call 911 first and then 1-888-460-4332. UGI says move at least the length of a football field away and call 911 or 800-276-2722. Both send someone at no charge whether or not there is a leak.

Which York County utility do I call?

Numbers verified September 2026.

Utility	Serves	Emergency number
Met-Ed (FirstEnergy)	Most of York County, including York City	1-888-544-4877 (1-888-LIGHTSS). Downed wire: call 911 and stay 30 feet away
Adams Electric Cooperative	Parts of western and southern York County (Dover, Jacobus, Loganville, Fawn Grove and nearby townships)	1-800-726-2324
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania	The greater York gas territory	911, then 1-888-460-4332
UGI Utilities	Gas customers in parts of the region	911 or 800-276-2722
The York Water Company	York and surrounding municipalities	717-845-3601 weekdays 8:30 to 5; 717-848-2984 after hours

If your water comes from a municipal authority or a well, write that number on the panel door instead. And before you dig anywhere, Pennsylvania law (Act 287 of 1974, amended 2017) requires a call to 811 at least three business days, and no more than ten, before you break ground. It is free for homeowners, though it only marks utility-owned lines, not your private ones.

If you want a second set of eyes on your panel, valves or anything else before you list, I am glad to walk the house with you. Call or text me at 717-356-9413. This is general information, not electrical, plumbing or legal advice; for anything beyond turning a valve, hire a licensed contractor.