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Looking for my stop tap

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Discuss Looking for my stop tap in the Find Local Plumbers - Post a Job area at Plumbers Forums

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Andy777

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4C0977FD-4D85-4C81-8827-BDB8FCB1C54E.jpeg
Hi, I’m looking for my internal stop tap but having trouble, I’ve found something that might be it (see image below) but I don’t want to risk turning it unless I’m sure - any help would be appreciated.
 
Andy777 said:
Thanks,
It looks like a tap that’s been cut off to get the kitchen cupboards to fit.
But I was hoping for a more definitive answer before I try turning it.
My external stop tap is not accessible thanks to the council laying a road over it!
So I don’t want to take any chances.
Click to expand...
Call them back to uncover it. You need an external one also.
 
Harvest Fields said:
Call them back to uncover it. You need an external one also.
Click to expand...

Yeah I’m aware of this, but that’s another matter, and not one that’s likely to get resolved quickly and I’m having a new kitchen fitted next week so I was really hoping that someone on here might recognise whether this is a tap or something else?
 
If you are going to try it then suggest, wire brush from spindle to main body (2"?), soak in WD40 every day for a week, maybe slacken of the first nut a touch (1 turn) first, use mole grips and gently turn spindle left/ right, left/ right a few times to get it moving and be gentle turning that spindle or it could snap!
 
Last edited:
rpm said:
If you are going to try it then suggest, wire brush from spindle to main body (2"?), soak in WD40 every day for a week, maybe slacken of the first nut a touch (1 turn) first and be gentle turning that spindle or it could snap!
Click to expand...

Thanks very much that’s helpful and I’ll try it that way. It is definitely a tap then?
 
That most likely was the Stop tap.
The handle has probably been cut off because it's siezed and usually whoever did that would have put a new tap higher up.

As you don't have access to the street tap trying to shut off that one is not recommended.
If it shears off you have nowhere to isolated it.
I doubt it would fully shut off anyway.

Ring your water company, they'll locate the street tap, but I doubt they'll do it within a week.
It needs locating anyway.
The plumber (not a kitchen fitter) doing the work on your kitchen should have no trouble freezing the pipe and fitting a new stop tap.

The incoming lead service pipe could have done with being changed whilst the units are out.
 
That does look like your stopcock, the pipe that joins up to it from that floor looks like a lead main, can't guarantee it is without a walk around your house, but from the photo it does look extremely likely.

However I'd be very concerned about using it knowing that the street level one is inaccessible, if it starts leaking (something that can happen when they've not been used in a long time) or breaks you'll be in some trouble. The fact they've sawn off the handle is also not going to make your life easy! If there's no way that they council will sort things out quickly enough for you, I'd make sure to have a replacement stopcock and a pipe freezing kit readily available, just in case.
 
Pickwickpick said:
If they go above they've got not way of replacing the stopcock if its seized closed/partially closed/leaking...
Click to expand...
For now however once the external stopcock is uncovered and working it is only a case of replacing a section of pipe and access could be left when the new kitchen is fitted. In my last house the back panel could be removed by removing 4 screws. Even for a kitchen fitter it`s not hard to do. :D
 
rpm said:
For now however once the external stopcock is uncovered and working it is only a case of replacing a section of pipe and access could be left when the new kitchen is fitted. In my last house the back panel could be removed by removing 4 screws. Even for a kitchen fitter it`s not hard to do. :D
Click to expand...


Agreed, but knowing how long it can take the councils to sort these things out, it could by a mighty long wait, which could be problematic if its stuck with only a trickle going through the valve.
 
Thanks everyone,
You’ve successfully put me off trying to use that old stopcock under the circumstances.
I think I’ll take your advice and see if I can find a plumber who can freeze the pipe and fit a new internal stopcock while I wait for the council to restore the external one.
I can cut a window in the side panel of the new units which would allow access to that old stopcock should it require maintenance in future.
 

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