A sewer key is a specialized tool that opens and closes the valve on your main water shutoff, located in the ground near your property line. When you need to stop water flow to your entire house—whether for repairs, emergencies, or seasonal maintenance—the sewer key reaches down into the buried valve box to turn the valve handle. This tool matters because the valve sits several feet underground, making it impossible to access without the right equipment.
The articles here cover what sewer keys are, how they work, which types fit different valve sizes, and how to use one safely. You'll learn whether you need a standard key or a specialized model for your setup, what to expect when operating the valve, and how to store and maintain the tool so it's ready when you need it.