Hello everyone,
I've just moved into a 1930s end-terrace house which has mainly copper plumbing, but an original, lead rising main.
The main stopvalve is in the corner of the kitchen, almost at ground level, behind a kitchen unit and has lead pipes entering and leaving it. The kitchen has been re-plastered at some point, so the body of the valve and the pipes are embedded in the plaster. The spindle is seized and the previous owner has managed to tear the handle off it trying to close it
At the moment, I can switch off the water at the stopvalve in my drive - but this seems to isolate all the other houses in the terrace too
As it was caked with years of grime and plaster, I've cleaned it with a wire brush and appliance de-scaler, so at least I can see what I'm doing now. Also, I've sprayed liberally with WD40 and will leave that overnight - or longer.
My plan is to isolate the houses briefly, then try to unscrew the valve's headgear, then replace it with one taken from a brand new stopvalve, leaving the old body (complete with lead pipework) undisturbed - unless any of you have better ideas of course.
As a rough guide to the size of the old valve, the flats on the headgear take a 7/8" AF spanner. Do you reckon parts from a modern 22mm one would fit? Or do plumber's merchants still stock imperial-sized ones?
My only other idea is to remove the headgear and try to refurbish it (i.e. free the spindle, lubricate it, fit new washer and gland packing, then fit the handle back on with Araldite or a cotter pin bodge). But this could take a while, so would be difficult without the neighbours getting p***ed off (unless I try to do it in the middle of the night, I suppose).
Outright replacement is out of the question because of the impossible access (wedged in a corner and buried in plaster), unless the incoming pipework is replaced of course
Look forward to your replies,
Cheers,
Nick.
I've just moved into a 1930s end-terrace house which has mainly copper plumbing, but an original, lead rising main.
The main stopvalve is in the corner of the kitchen, almost at ground level, behind a kitchen unit and has lead pipes entering and leaving it. The kitchen has been re-plastered at some point, so the body of the valve and the pipes are embedded in the plaster. The spindle is seized and the previous owner has managed to tear the handle off it trying to close it
At the moment, I can switch off the water at the stopvalve in my drive - but this seems to isolate all the other houses in the terrace too
As it was caked with years of grime and plaster, I've cleaned it with a wire brush and appliance de-scaler, so at least I can see what I'm doing now. Also, I've sprayed liberally with WD40 and will leave that overnight - or longer.
My plan is to isolate the houses briefly, then try to unscrew the valve's headgear, then replace it with one taken from a brand new stopvalve, leaving the old body (complete with lead pipework) undisturbed - unless any of you have better ideas of course.
As a rough guide to the size of the old valve, the flats on the headgear take a 7/8" AF spanner. Do you reckon parts from a modern 22mm one would fit? Or do plumber's merchants still stock imperial-sized ones?
My only other idea is to remove the headgear and try to refurbish it (i.e. free the spindle, lubricate it, fit new washer and gland packing, then fit the handle back on with Araldite or a cotter pin bodge). But this could take a while, so would be difficult without the neighbours getting p***ed off (unless I try to do it in the middle of the night, I suppose).
Outright replacement is out of the question because of the impossible access (wedged in a corner and buried in plaster), unless the incoming pipework is replaced of course
Look forward to your replies,
Cheers,
Nick.
