Help with a stopcock which wont budge please

[PHIL269]

Hi All
Can somebody please give me some tips on how I can free a main water stopcock tap under my kitchen sink.
Attached is a photo

It will not close or open and is currently stuck in open position.

Many thanks to anyone who can help.

Kind Regards,
Phil.

 

[Diver Fred]

Ease the gland nut (that is the one closest to the handle) no more than half a turn. You may find the shaft turns with it. Then try turning the handle both directions. Once it moves gently tighten the gland nut.

 

[dal5band]

As a backup find your outside stop cock and and see if that will turn the water off. It's usually under a small cover in the pavement outside your house. Then you will be able to just replace your under sink stop cock. Your stopcock is probably jammed with timescale and you may be able to free it by small movements back and forth with a wrench on the handle but be careful not to break the spindle.

 

[Deluks]

Large ring spanner over the handle, gives plenty of leverage.
But as mentioned, turn it off outside first!

 

[PHIL269]

Is it ok to undo gland nut on stopcock with the mains water still on please ?

 

[Mottie]

Yes.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Mottie AKA - Chippy/Plumber



Andy

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is it ok to undo gland nut on stopcock with the mains water still on please ?

Yes, you only need to slack it off a little way..

 

[fixitflav]

Hi All
Can somebody please give me some tips on how I can free a main water stopcock tap under my kitchen sink.
Attached is a photo
View attachment 343760

It will not close or open and is currently stuck in open position.

Many thanks to anyone who can help.

Kind Regards,
Phil.

If you put extra leverage on the tee, put an open-end spanner on the hexagon on the valve body, and hold against yourself, to avoid putting too much force on the pipe, risking damage.

 

[Oldgirl21]

Turn the one off in the street and call a plumber to the one under the sink because if you break it you've got a flooded house.

 

[Mottie]

Mottie AKA - Chippy/Plumber



Andy

Don’t forget electrician!

 

[jj4091]

Give it a good squirt of WD 40 and leave it overnight

 

[Oldgirl21]

Give it a good squirt of WD 40 and leave it overnight

That only works on rust. If a plumber needs to be called out they hate it when WD40 has been applied as it makes it slippery to work on.

 

[HERTS P&D]

If a plumber needs to be called out they hate it when WD40 has been applied as it makes it slippery to work on.

What??? Most if not all plumbers carry a cloth in their tool bag to give pipes a quick wipe.

Andy

 

[Nige F]

usually an old pair of underpants......................