Answer: Your wife is right! You could avoid a major catastrophe by knowing one item of plumbing – the location of the main water shut-off valve. Any other problem can wait, but if a water pipe bursts under pressure, at least you can turn off the main valve and stop the flow of water. You’ll be amazed at how much water can spew out of a burst pipe while you’re waiting for a plumber. Water can do tremendous damage to a home and you can help avert much of it by quick action.