Outside stopcock leaking - Chamber removal as cemented in...

[Worriedbod]

Hi. Wonder if anybody could help me with this please?

Our outside stopcock (in our garden, waterboard stop in pavement outside) is leaking fairly quickly from the stuffing gland. Our house was built in the late 1920's / early '30's, the chamber is earthenware about 4" dia. It looks like this is bedded into cement, which also buries most of the stopcock (I can see the hex to take the top off the stopcock, but almost nothing below it).

The stuffing gland is of the knurled type.

I'm worried if I try to take the earthenware pipe off, the concrete may move the tap and damage the pipework.

I'm wondering if this is likely to happen, and if there's any way to adjust the stuffing gland without digging out/removing the earthenware pipe...

Thanks very much in advance...

 

[dilalio]

Call the water board and ask them to come have a look, it's likely that they will replace it at their cost if it's their equipment.
I tell homeowners to do this before I start any kitchen/bathroom refurbs, if I see that the street stopcock is old and/or innaccessible!
If it's downstream of the board's cock/meter, and is your kit, then you'll have to dig it out and repair... Run a new main to the meter in poly while you're at it, if feasible.

 

[Worriedbod]

Hi and thanks very much for the suggestions. The water board have a meter and cock in the pavement so I think the stopcock in our garden is my problem.

Am I likely to damage the water pipework pulling the chamber pipe out? Is it better to try to crack it, or use another method?...thanks again for the help.

 

[dilalio]

Excavate around it and give yourself plenty of room... It's only digging after all