RE: Mains Valve Stop Cock All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[alaska]

Hi,

I have ball valve fitting on my mains supply to my house under the kitchen sink. Its difficult to get to and becoming very worn and hence difficult to use. I have no idea where the mains valve stop cock is (the one normally in the road). I had a leak yesterday on the ball valve fitting to the toilet upstairs and had to shut the water off from under the sink. It occurred ot me that I am in a somewhat vulnerable situation should the valve under the sink ever fail since I then won't be able to shut the water off.

The question is how to I find out where the external stop cock is? I have emailed my local water provider and intend to ask the neighbours but other than that I am at a loss?

Thanks in advance

[plumbbob]

Your local water company should be happy to come out and find it for you for free.

Generally mains stopcocks are found in the footpath outside the house at the end of a drive but if your house is old or on a street corner etc it could be elsewhere. Looking for neighbours taps can help (remember, it may be a shared supply) so pace the footpath up and down the road to see what you can discover.

[htg engineer]

Get a plumber, if they cannot find the outside stop tap, they can freeze the pipe and change the valve inside.

Sorted incase of emergency - inside the house.

As for outside, get the water board out to find the stop tap. They should locate it for you at no cost.


htg