Water enters your house through a pipe that connects either to a municipal water line or a private well. If your bill changes according to how much water you use, your water flows through a water meter. Residential water meters are generally located near the street in front of the house. They are typically housed in a covered metal or plastic casing, but are sometimes simply buried in the dirt. There are two common types of meters: straight reading meters, which are like the odometer in a car, and circular reading meters, which use a system of series of dials.

From there, water travels to the water heater. Water from a private well goes to a pressure tank before going to the heater. From the water heater, a pair of water lines - one for hot and one for cold--branch out through the house to serve the various fixtures such as toilets, tubs, sinks, showers; and water-using appliances, like dishwashers, washing machines, soft water systems.

These supply lines are always under pressure; if they are opened or a break occurs, water will shoot out and not stop until it is shut off in some way. That is why modern homes have individual shutoff valves for every fixture and appliance. If your home is not equipped with them, plan to call in a Sun Devil Plumbing professional to install them. They'll make maintenance and repairs more convenient and will more than pay for themselves should you face a serious break.