Ask The Trades - Print Page

Ask The Trades
https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Plumbing Questions >> STOPCOCK???? https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1102085950 Message started by zambezi on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:59pm

Title: STOPCOCK????
Post by zambezi on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 2:59pm

Please help?
I have to change some bathroom taps in a house and the floors have all been covered with laminate, so i cant get to the stopcock :-/ I tried to isolate the water from outside (in the street), I have the universal key to fit the stopcock but it just turns and turns without effecting the water pressure ??? There is too much work and too little space to use freezing kits for the job.
Thanx Z

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by billythekid on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 4:33pm

the main valve is a quarter turn valve zambezi, so turn it a quarter turn ;)

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by HandyMac on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 4:46pm

Yeah, but by the sounds of it the handle has come off the stopcock and he can't turn the water off to his property.

In which case I thought this was something the water board had a responsibility for? Don't they have to provide a working stopcock?

HM

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by zambezi on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 5:14pm

Thanx for that BTK, i tried 1/4 turn, 1/2 turn and 100 turns and nothing worked. The key i have is a universal and the bit that fitted was the smallest one in the set, i think about 1/2".

Saying that there are 2 x 1 1/2" galv pipes coming into the property from the street, i have no idea what these are for either? The one is capped off and i cant see where the other goes (because of the laminate floor), what size pipes do they normally use for the gas supply?

I was thinking that if worst comes to worst then i could hire an electric freezing kit to freeze the pipe (what i think is the main pipe (not the 1 1/2" galv.) there is a 22mm copper lurking under the floor) and then fit a valve so they dont have this problem again.

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by JerryD on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 6:15pm

Laminate floor or not, the mains stopcock should still be above the floor surely?

What with that and the outside stopcock not working it seems this place needs some sorting out before there's an emergency! :o

As Andrew said, the water board have a responsibilty to provide a working stopcock, get on to them........ :)

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by zambezi on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 8:54pm

Thanks guys, I will tell the customer to give them a call and get somebody to come and look at it. He has tried to call them before about it. They said he should turn his water off from inside or get a plumber to freeze the pipes. Basically saying it is not thier problem :-/ >:(

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by HandyMac on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 8:57pm

Well they would say that wouldn't they? Tell them that you aren't going to pay your water bill until it's sorted. They will probably have a van outside your place before you put the phone down.... :)

HM

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by thescruff on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 9:23pm

borrowed this from screwedflux.

Thank you for your e-mails regarding the outside Stop Valve.

You are correct that the outside stop valve forms a part of our apparatus and, as such is our responsibility to maintain. We have a general maintenance programme to ensure that we provide our customers with a constant supply of water. However, I am sure you can imagine, it is difficult we cannot routinely maintain the huge numbers of valves we own.

There are other ways in which supplies can be isolated and so our general policy is that outside stop valves are given low priority. We do of course deal with issues quickly if there is an emergency situation, but all cases are different, and are treated on their individual merit. This means that repair work will be prioritised in line with the programme of work taking place at the time.

There does not have to be an outside stop valvle on our pipework by law. However, every private supply should have its own internal stop valve (ISV). If you do not have your own ISV you may wish to consider having one installed so that you can isolate your supply.

Thames water.

scruff

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by thescruff on Dec 3^rd, 2004, 9:26pm

now you all had time to read the above, I had a leak in the drive and wessex water, threatened to take me to the cleaners if i didn't repair it.

But first they had find and repair their stopvalve in the pavement.

scruff

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by supersparky on Dec 21^st, 2004, 12:40am

strangely, i have three outside my house :-/

there is a round cover about 3 inches across then about 6 inches diagonaly to the left of this one there is a square drain about 4*4 inch

about 6 inches diagonaly right from the round drain there is another square drain(newer flap type replaced at some point)

this is on the boundry with the property to the right of mine, i take it the square drains are the stop taps? so whats the round one???

lol ill need to know for if we have a porch, otherwise it might be a case of

*crack*

*pisssssssssssss*

OH sh*t

lol

ss

Title: Re: STOPCOCK????
Post by The_Trician on Dec 21^st, 2004, 1:20am

Can anyone tell me if a stock-cock with a built-in drain-cock is still available?

My old one's leaking around the gland packing. I've tried tightening it up but to no avail. All the new stock cocks are just that - stop-cocks, wheras my old one incorporates a drain cock as well.

Any links?

TT