To shut off the water to your house at the meter, you typically need a "water meter key" which is a specialized t-shaped tool used to access and turn the valve on your water meter box.

1. Locate Your Water Shut-Off. Every home is a little bit different in the placement of its water supply shut-off. Your plumbing appliances each may have their own shut-offs, but there will also ...

If you're a tool nut, you can also buy a gas shut-off wrench which can double as a water shut-off tool and pry bar. When you face your meter, you will see a pipe running from the ground to the meter.

First, here are the tools you need: One shower shutoff valve, one roll of Teflon pipe tape, and one pair of vice grip pliers. The total cost of this project was $5, the cost of the valve itself.