Can't find cold water Isolator (stopcock)

[KevinRussell]

I am looking to replace a Power Shower at home. It's straight replacement with Power and cold water. The Power is a switch on the consumer unit.

My issue is that I can't find an isolator for the cold water feed. The pipe comes out through a tile. The house is new and there are no exposed pipes. I have checked in the loft and in the room below and next door.

The water system is a combi boiler. Do i just switch off the mains or the power to the Combi bolier in order to isolate the water to the shower?

Any advice would be gratefully received!

Kevin

 

[denso13]

Do is just switch off the mains

Turn the water off at the main stopcock/valve to isolate the water.

 

[JohnD]

the water stopcock is typically under the kitchen sink, or close to where the incoming supply pipe comes up through the floor if different

in the unusual circumstances that you have no indoor stopcock, you can use the one outside. Typically close to the front door or the front gate, if none, or if paved or concreted over by some halfwit, use the one in the pavement. May be built into the water meter.

The combi boiler has no effect on the cold water supply, neither does any electrical switch

you use the term "power shower" but your description suggests it might be an electric shower, which is different.

 

[KevinRussell]

Thanks chaps - so out of interest, does the mains feed all cold water in the house when there's a Combi Boiler?

 

[oldbuffer]

1. As there is generally no cold water storage with a combi, cold has to be mains fed. There is no other source.
2. If its on a water meter (new house so very likely) there will be a shut off valve with the meter, as mentioned above.
3. With only electricity and mains cold water going in, it is an electric shower, not a power shower. You can't have a power shower (which has a pump inside it) with a combi boiler.
4. The new shower must be no more powerful than the old in terms of kW, or you may have to upgrade the wiring from the consumer unit.

 

[KevinRussell]

Thanks Oldbuffer.

I mis-described it as a Electric Shower, point taken.
The new Shower is exactly the same as the previous shower so no problem there.
My question has been answers!

There is no water tank - the reason I ask about it being mains-fed is that I always understood that only the Kitchen sink and possibly downstairs cloakroom sink were allowed to be directly mains fed (and not mixer taps) due to the risk of non potable water potentially being mixed with mains potable water?

 

[MeldrewsMate]

That used to be the general case with stored cold water, but nowadays a check valve is installed on the cold mains as it enters the house, just after the stopcock.
You should have an isolator valve specifically for the shower, but it's possible your developer wanted to pocket the £1 saved by not fitting one.