internal stopcock leaking slightly - shared supply

GeX

GeX

GeX

Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2002
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6,994
Location
Manchester
Hi. Pretty sure the answer is 'call a plumber' but I'm sure this isn't a new or unique situation so was after advice from anyone who has dealt with similar.

House was built in 1903 and has a shared, lead supply pipe that comes into the house via the kitchen. Lead supply pipe comes into the kitchen, into the stopcock and then out into copper.

The stopcock is leaking slightly, and I've no easy way to isolate it so am scared to do anything to it!

Is this going to require turning off the water for neighbours, or can this be investigated with freezing the pipe? Is it going to cause any problems or complications as it's a lead supply pipe?
 
First thing I'd do is contact my water company, as many of them have free lead replacement schemes and will replace all the pipe with min 25mm MDPE from external stop tap to internal stop tap.

Severn Trent even upgraded mine for free when I didn't have lead (it turned out to be 15mm copper, but they did it anyway).

Failing that or for a more immediate solution, there'll be an external stop tap somewhere in the pavement outside the property. If you shut this off (at a time agreed with your neighbour) you may be able to replace the stop tap, if you're confident. Otherwise call a plumber.

Not sure how you have a shared stop tap in your property though. Does your tap isolate both properties?
 
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As far as I know, United Utilities will replace the lead supply pipe but only up to the point where it crosses onto my property - they won't cover getting it through the garden, under the floors and to the current location.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear wrt the stop tap. It only isolates my property, I should've said the branch pipe enters the kitchen rather than the supply pipe. I'm yet to find the stop tap in the pavement, but will look - and check with neighbours.
 
Have you tried tightening the gland nut? 9/10 it's the glad nut and/or washer. Try that first for the short term and get a plumber to re-fit a decent modern one.
 
GeX said:
As far as I know, United Utilities will replace the lead supply pipe but only up to the point where it crosses onto my property - they won't cover getting it through the garden, under the floors and to the current location.
Click to expand...

This is correct - just been through it.
 
GeX said:
As far as I know, United Utilities will replace the lead supply pipe but only up to the point where it crosses onto my property - they won't cover getting it through the garden, under the floors and to the current location.
Click to expand...

Sorry yeah that was the case with me too. I was talking crap in that regard as I remember we had to pay someone else to do any work past our property boundary.
 
Rossi~ said:
Have you tried tightening the gland nut? 9/10 it's the glad nut and/or washer. Try that first for the short term and get a plumber to re-fit a decent modern one.
Click to expand...

This is tricky to do because of tiles, see image below

Adam_151 said:
Where is it leaking from?

The pipe fittings connected to it? or from the spindle of the stop tap itself?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure, it's tricky to tell as the wall is tiled around it. I think it's either from then spindle or the threads below the spindle. Likely it's going to need to come apart to have the washer fixed / or just replace the thing.

https://goo.gl/photos/5wYYycGobteLm6MX9
 
GeX said:
I'm not sure, it's tricky to tell as the wall is tiled around it. I think it's either from then spindle or the threads below the spindle. Likely it's going to need to come apart to have the washer fixed / or just replace the thing.
Click to expand...

Put some old towels on the floor as its going to drip a bit more while you try this, get an adjustable, a small screwdriver and some ptfe. undo the nut you can see the spindle going into, it'll now be dripping quite a bit more, twist the ptfe into a 'rope', wrap it round the spindle and push it into the gap around the spindle using teh screwdriver, once you have a few turns on, cut the ptfe, push the end in, bring the nut back down and tighen to a sensible tightness (not too tight or you won't be able to use the stop tap, not too loose or it'll still be dripping)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9b1AxSxbgw
 
Adam_151 said:
Put some old towels on the floor as its going to drip a bit more while you try this, get an adjustable, a small screwdriver and some ptfe. undo the nut you can see the spindle going into, it'll now be dripping quite a bit more, twist the ptfe into a 'rope', wrap it round the spindle and push it into the gap around the spindle using teh screwdriver, once you have a few turns on, cut the ptfe, push the end in, bring the nut back down and tighen to a sensible tightness (not too tight or you won't be able to use the stop tap, not too loose or it'll still be dripping)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9b1AxSxbgw
Click to expand...

Thanks, will look into doing this.

Dis86 said:
Can't you isolate the supply to your house?
Click to expand...

Not without turning off the supply to my neighbours, no. It's a shared supply from the main with branch lines that go to the properties. The external stop valve is near the main and will isolate the supply to multiple properties.
 
Dis86 said:
Can't you isolate the supply to your house?
Click to expand...

From the description above, its the isolator to his house that's got the leak.

If this is Tee'd off a main pipe, it would depend on how much pipe is between the Tee and the leaking stockcock as to whether freezing it is an option without stopping supply to all the other houses.
 
In which case polite request of the neighbours? Or maybe day off and do it whilst they're at work?
 
Or as the old adage goes...

Easier to seek forgiveness than ask permission.... "oh dear... sorry never realised it was for your supply as well"

... only works the once though :p unless no one calls you on it the first time!
 
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