Fixing leaking stopcock

[leicesterweb]

Untitled

• leicesterweb
• 9 Dec 2012
• 1

I'm looking to stop my stopcock leaking. It's a steady seeping rather than a drip, but it's only going to get worse. My question is can I just turn off the stopcock and loosen the glandnut to see if I need to add some P.T.F.E. tape? You'll see from the attached where the water is coming from, but I wanted to check I could isolate the water supply by turning off the stopcock and then remove the glandnut to repair the P.T.F.E. tape or waher etc.

 

[45yearsagasman]

If its leaking from the main body seal, then be careful. If you have a stopcock out side then turn that off before attempting any repairs. You can reseal them, but that looks a bit tired and you might consider a replacement.
If its the gland nut around the spindle then it can be repacked using ptfe and tightening the hex gland nut, but that looks to have been mullered.

 

[leicesterweb]

Thank you Pete. The water is dripping from the area circled - so would you not recommend loosening that nut to see if I could apply some tape? I do not have an outside stopcock (no water meter so I do not know how I could isolate it). I want to see whether I could stop the seaping easily before looking at a replacement stopcock etc. What would you advise?

 

[Bosswhite]

Depending on how handy you are you could hire a Pipe Freezing Unit about £50. and replace stop cock, or pay a Plumber

 

[leicesterweb]

Thanks Pete.

What would be a reasonable charge for replacing the stopcock?

 

[HERTS P&D]

I would charge you (if you were in my area) £120 to fit a new stop cock which would include freezing the pipe work.

Andy

 

[JohnD]

the most impoortant question: have you got a water meter or a stopcock under the pavement or in the garden?

very often youi can buy a new stopcock of the same design, and unscrew the moving parts from your old one without removing it from the pipe, and screw on the new headwork (with PTFE on the thread)

This does depend on being able to turn off the upstream supply.

 

[leicesterweb]

I do not have a water meter, so where would I isolate the supply to change the stopcock?

 

[JohnD]

the most important question: have you got a water meter or a stopcock under the pavement or in the garden?

 

[leicesterweb]

Thank you John. Not sure, will have to check - there's nothing in the garden as far as I know, but maybe on the pavement.

 

[Nige F]

I would charge you (if you were in my area) £120 to fit a new stop cock which would include freezing the pipe work.

Andy

I`d turn it off in the pavement - and charge you £60

 

[HERTS P&D]

I would charge you (if you were in my area) £120 to fit a new stop cock which would include freezing the pipe work.

Andy

I`d turn it off in the pavement - and charge you £60

That's because you don't have a freeze machine Nige.

Andy

 

[dormermike]

I would charge you (if you were in my area) £120 to fit a new stop cock which would include freezing the pipe work.

Andy

I`d turn it off in the pavement - and charge you £60

I just had a new stop cock and toilet pan soil connector replaced for £70 inclusive of parts - and a very nice chap he was too. Turned off in street fwiw.

 

[dcawkwell]

Thank you Pete. The water is dripping from the area circled - so would you not recommend loosening that nut to see if I could apply some tape? I do not have an outside stopcock (no water meter so I do not know how I could isolate it). I want to see whether I could stop the seaping easily before looking at a replacement stopcock etc. What would you advise?

There will be an outside stop cock. Maybe at the end of the street if it feeds the whole street.
But you will have to turn that off first. You cannot attempt a repair to that area without turning off the mains.

 

[Bosswhite]

I would charge you (if you were in my area) £120 to fit a new stop cock which would include freezing the pipe work.

Andy

I`d turn it off in the pavement - and charge you £60

And hope the Pavement Stopcock dosent sieze up when turned off !