Steel pipe stop cock

[jbatt250]

Hi All,

I am renewing a bathroom on a 4th floor flat in Bath. My problem is the service pipe coming up through the building is a steel pipe (never came across this before on a domestic property) with an old stop cock with no handle on it.

My issues are I'm very aware that these old stop cock's are renowned for rusting/jamming (from the local hardwater) internally and would rather not touch it at all due to it deterioating and maybe splitting or leaking.

So what I am asking is would any of you attempt to try and turn off this old stop cock by any of the following:

First clean the spindle and packing gland with a wire brush

Then apply WD40 all around the packing gland then try to lose the packing gland and turn the spindall with a set of grips/stillsons to the off position?

If this doesn't work then maybe grind a square edge on the spindal and try to use a spanner?

If none of this works then it means turning off the outside stop cock to the whole building and turning off the water to 3 other flats. Would rather avoid this if possible.

If I did have to turn off from outside, I wouldn't even attempt to replace the old internal stop cock as I wouldn't have much time given all the other 3 flats would have no water.

I guess then i would try to put another one in 500mm along the steel pipe where it would then be accessible as the original is hidden behind a toilet.

How would I then cut the old steel pipe, thread it and then put on a new stop cock with hardly any wiggle room?

Or as the flats are leasehold (building owned by 3rd party company) would it be down to them to sort the issue or the local water board?

Will appreciate any suggestions, sorry for the essay!

Thanks
Josh

 

[foxhole]

Get a plumber in.

 

[Exedon]

I would try to get leasehold to do it .
We have freezing gear threading gear and know how but that looks to have possible disaster written on it!

 

[dilalio]

Get a plumber in.

Doubt many of us would touch it either!

 

[ChrisJP]

My instincts are also yelling "don't touch it", if you did manage to get the spindle moving the gland will probably start leaking.
I would go with your idea of turning off the water to all of the flats for a short time while you, or a plumber, fit a new stopcock on the flat side of this old stopcock. If the pipe stays as iron right into your flat it'll need to be threaded to fit a new stopcock and that'll probably require an experienced plumber to do it. But you could follow the pipe into your flat - it must be connected to copper or plastic pipe somewhere and the new stopcock could be fitted there.