cfoster

Need some advice / rough cost... How much would it be to replace a stopcock in my house? Its jammed and always has been since i've moved in (think previous owners opened it right up without turning it back). Bit frightened of wrenching it shut and it breaking! What sort of cost would I be looking at for a plumber to do the job? Its easily accessible under the kitchen sink.

Cheers
Chris

Steve the Plumber

iTrader: (11)

Does the stopcock in the road turn off the water to your property?

If it does, it about a 20 min job at the max!

IMO About £40 cash and a cup of tea!!

cfoster

Yes the stopcock in the road does turn it off. Only went on a water meter about 6 months ago so all new I presume!!

rst in breaking

iTrader: (2)

where abouts in essex are you based?

Steve the Plumber

iTrader: (11)

Easy job then, if your handy do it yourself, will only cost you a couple of quid for a new stopcock!!

cfoster

Im not shy of trying myself, just a little nervous in doing it!!!!! Dont particularly fancy a swimming pool in the kitchen!! Any dummy guides out there?

rst in breaking - im in Wickford mate.

rst in breaking

iTrader: (2)

mate would have prob popped by if local and sorted it.

Steve the Plumber

iTrader: (11)

[quote=cfoster;4650122]Im not shy of trying myself, just a little nervous in doing it!!!!! Dont particularly fancy a swimming pool in the kitchen!! Any dummy guides out there?

You can either remove the old stopcock and fit a new one in its place, or just fit a new one directly above the old one, (you'll have to cut the pipe) and just fit the new S/C where the gap is, use a little jointing compound and job done!

Turn the stopcock off in the road 1st though. or you can get wet.

cfoster

lol!! I'd rather replace to be honest. Just read up on how to do it, seems rather straight forward. What sort of sealant do I use around the 2 joins? Just normal bathroom sealent?

Farmer Giles

If the pipes are in good condition and you use a pipe cutter instead of a hacksaw then you should not need any sealer when using standard compression fittings. However when I've done it I always use a couple of turns of PTFE tap round the pipe, slid the olive over the tape and then done up the joint. Not had any leaks yet..

PTFE tape should be available with the fittings. Larger DIY places should sell this stuff

HTH.

cfoster

So in short how do I actually remove the stopcock....
1) turn the water off at the mains in the road
2) open my kitchen tap to drain water out
3) loosen the 2 bolts either side of the stopcock????

YoungMatt

Yeh turn water off outside.
There should be a drain valve above the internal stopcock.
Drain the water out (open upstairs taps to let the air pass through and get all of the water out)
Loosen the nut at the top and bottom of the stop cock and then replace like for like, easy job

cfoster

wicked cheers i'll have an inspection tonight!

I presume i can get a replacement from Wickes / B&Q etc?

St3V3_C

www.screwfix.com

And no matter how much draining you do - as I bet you don't have a drain valve above the SC - you will get water coming out. Just be ready with a bowl...

SelbyRST

iTrader: (2)

Use some 't plus 2' jointing compound on the olives. Sometimes its easier just to replace the actual workings of the stop tap instead of taking the whole old one out. eg if the pipes wont spread apart or something.

tosh

As mentioned above you should get away with just changing the stopcock it's self and leaving the nuts and olives on the pipe because the olives can be a bugger to get off if they have been tightened to much before and then usually leave an indent in the pipe which will make it harder for the new olive to seal properly,

the best thing to do would be to remove it in the morning as said leaving the nuts and olives on the pipe ends then take the stopcock to your local merchants or B+Q, and buy one with the same body length, then clean the old pipe an olives with a bit of wire wool smear some jointing compound around the old olive to help seal it, " job done"
and don't be tempted to tighten the nuts up to much because the olives are already clamped around the copper pipe so should only need pinching up to the fitting you can always tighten it up a bit more if it is leaking a little bit.

A bit long winded I know hope it helps.

I'M NOT A PLUMBER OR THE PLUMBER'S SON BUT I'LL STOP THE WATER TILL THE PLUMBER COMES,

TIFF

Did one today.....£40 cash....20 minutes

Farmer Giles

Make sure you turn the heating and hot water off before you drain the system as you don't want the boiler running with no water in the system.

rst in breaking

iTrader: (2)

was just about to mention the olives but then just got mentioned, if youre trying to salvage them make sure you get the right thread to suit the existing

cfoster

Excellent thanks guys, had a look and looks like i've got another tap above it, i'll post a pic after me dinner!

cfoster

Here's the stopcock? (photo at 90 degrees!)

steanlol

That'll be the drain valve above it then

If your going to get a new one then no harm in just trying to shut the old one with a bit of force and it may just move and shut off , nothing to lose even if the handle breaks .

cfoster

What does that drain valve to then? Do I leave it when I change the stopcock? Was going to attempt to loosen the SC once I have a new one and ready to change!! Sodslore i'll break it!

steanlol

It just there so that once you've turned the water off you can then open that and drain the rest of the water out the system

I'd try and turn it before you got a new one , worst case is it'll snap the shaft or just spin the handle , then you'll have to replace it .

tosh

It looks like you haven't got a compression stopcock any way mate so you will just be able to cut the old one out cut the gap to the right length and fit the new one.