You’ll need: one adjustable wrench (big enough to crush a grapefruit), a flathead screwdriver, plumber’s tape (the Teflon kind, not duct tape—this isn’t a spaceship), and a bucket. Also, get a new meter coupling gasket. That’s a little rubber ring. Skip this, and your yard becomes a geyser. Jokes aside, without a fresh gasket, you will create a mud pit that would make a pig jealous. Oh, and bring a towel. You’re about to get very, very wet.
Water meter replacing | How To Replace Water meter - YouTube
Step 2: The Shutoff Dance (Or, "Why You Haven't Showered Yet")
There should be a shutoff valve on the house side of the meter—a little red or blue handle. Turn it clockwise until it stops. Hard. That’s your "stop the bleeding" move. Now go inside and flush a toilet. If nothing happens, you’ve won. If water roars down, your shutoff is broken, and you are now in a horror movie. Do not panic. You can use the main curb stop (the big valve at the street), but that often requires a special tool called a "meter key." Most homeowners don’t own one. This is the part of the story where your friendly neighbor, Bob from three houses down, becomes a saint because of his garage full of random junk.
Assuming you’ve killed the water, use your wrench to loosen the two brass nuts holding the meter in place. Leftie-loosey, rightie-tighty. The pipes will still have water in them. That’s why you have the bucket. Put the bucket under the meter immediately. The water that spills out is cold, rusty, and tastes like regret. You will curse. It’s a rite of passage.
