Changing mains stop tap

[rocketmanbkk]

Friends

Had a chap on the phone who wants his main stopcock changed as its leaky.

He has said a plumber went there and the water couldn't be turned off in the road so the plumber went away never to return!

My question is, if you frezze the pipe underneath the stopcock and then loosen and remove it, does any water from above the stopcock come rushing down?

Or should you freeze below and above, get the old off, put the new on and then wait until the pipes unfreeze?

Never done it, never seen it done so unsure about this one.

Thanks as always.

Rocket

 

[SimonG]

Get the waterboard out to fix the outside stop tap first.

 

[on31ll]

Well turn off stop tap freeze botton undo it and fit new tap ! That way the water is held in the pipework above as the old stop tap holds it ! Make sense ?

Unless the old stop tap doesnt work !

But ge****er board out ! Customer will like that !

 

[on31ll]

Hahhaha water board !

 

[SimonG]

Stop tap in the road not isolating properly then it's the water authorities responsibility to replace.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

the mains stop tap is leaky also so he wants that fixed or replaced. Maybe it can be fixed by packing the gland but he said when it is turned to open or clos is pusses water, when it is open or closed its ok.

 

[secret squirrel]

Does it leak from the olives or does is need re-packing.........

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Re packing I think, looking tomorrow.

if it needs replacing, can I undo the nut and repackage it without turning water off or will I get a cold shower?

Also, when repacking, how do you know when you've put enough ptfe around? Trial and error or is there a rule of thumb?

 

[AWheating]

sitck a new stop tap above the old one, repack the old one if needed and tell the customer to only use the new one or cut the head of the old one to stop it being used.

Dont assume if its a copper main that a modern stop tap will replace it. Best to avoid freezing imo.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

All went well, turned water off in road, stopcock under sink leaking, undid gland but and repacked, leak stopped. All ok, confidence up a little but need more plumbing!

Cheers all.