Locating Shutoff Valve for outdoor spigot

[CluelessinCleveland]

The previous homeowner shut off the water to the outdoor spigot so it would not freeze and no one could steal water while the house was on the market, great. Except he didn't turn it back on or show us where it was and we simply can't find it after a year of actively searching and it's summer again!

There is a water meter above my sump pump/crawl space entrance but I assume the black valve coming off of it is a whole house shut off. We replaced our water heater so I know it's not in the water heater closet. There are 2 red shut off valves in my bathroom between the shower & tub, one of which is horribly stuck (tried penetrating oil, hair dryer, etc)... could it be one of those? would a shut off for outside be in the bathroom?

My last guess is possibly the crawl space in which case my children will never play in their kiddie pool because I 'm not going down there!

Thank you, i'm obviously clueless but I feel ridiculous hiring a plumber and paying all their fees to come turn a knob if I can avoid it.

 

[Reach4]

There is a good chance that the old owner would be glad to tell you.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[CluelessinCleveland]

There is a good chance that the old owner would be glad to tell you.

I'm sure that would be true if I had his contact info, we did everything through our realtors and absolutely no personal contact.

 

[Terry]

There is a good chance that the old owner would be glad to tell you.

I like this idea. Way cheaper than having a plumber look for it.

Where is the hosebib on the house?
Sometimes those at the end of a garage will have a shutoff near the water heater for that. It would be a smaller valve most likely for a 1/2" line.

 

[CluelessinCleveland]

Thank you Terry, The hose bib is on the opposite side from the garage, just outside the only bathroom's wall... i'll try looking for smaller valves...

 

[Reach4]

I'm sure that would be true if I had his contact info, we did everything through our realtors and absolutely no personal contact.

1. See if either the real estate agents has the seller's cellphone number and is willing to give it to you or to make the call for you.

2. You know the name of the seller. Send him a letter to your address and expect it to be forwarded.

3. Go to the post office and ask. The fee used to be $1 to get the latest forwarding address.

 

[CluelessinCleveland]

1. See if either the real estate agents has the seller's cellphone number and is willing to give it to you or to make the call for you.

2. You know the name of the seller. Send him a letter to your address and expect it to be forwarded.

3. Go to the post office and ask. The fee used to be $1 to get the latest forwarding address.

Yeah, we've lived here 2 years i'm not hunting him down, last summer I had a baby, toddler and terminally ill father in law to take care of so I didn't care about this, but since my father in law passed a few weeks ago i'm outside with the kids more and want water access. I think at this point it seems weird.

My question was for possible shut off valve locations if anyone has those thank you

 

[Gary Swart]

I suspect the crawl space would be likely. Somewhere close to where the spigot is on the side of the house. Might want to consider a frost-free once you find this shut off. Just sayin'.

 

[MKS]

Maybe in bathroom vanity.

 

[CountryBumkin]

If you have two valves in the bathroom ("one of which is horribly stuck") then that might be it. It seems like an odd place to install the valves but I don't know how your water lines are plumbed (maybe that was the closest/best place for the outside spigot). Unless that valve is stuck in the ON position (but having a cold water and a hot water shutoff in the bathroom would make more sense). But if that bathroom valve is stuck in the OFF position and everything else is working, except the outside spigot, then it I would focus on that stuck valve.

 

[CluelessinCleveland]

Thank you Gary, MKS & CountryBumkin, i'll be checking those...except the crawl space i'll be paying someone to check that!

 

[CluelessinCleveland]

Maybe in bathroom vanity.

Thank you MKS!! That's where it was, I started looking and found a 3rd valve almost hidden by shoddy cabinetry (they'd had to cut a hole to go around it, turned it on and heard the water rushing outside the window (I went turned it off i've just had it on while I tried all of your suggestions!)