Replace stop cock

[mack22]

I am fitting a new kitchen, this will allow access to the water main pipe work, this has two stop cocks, one original about 1950s seized up, and a later one that is also oldish and again very stiff, as these are under the sink and not easy to get at, I thought of replacing them with a 15mm ball valve as these are far easier to turn off and also a Sure Stop remote switch unit as a secondary back up, this is because the flat may be let for a while, and it might save a disaster if it were obvious where the water can be shut off,
one problem, the flats have no obvious mains stop cock so will have to use a freezer unit on the flats incoming pipe, can anyone see any problems with this idea.
Thank you

 

[leakydave]

Why not put a new stop cock in and get rid of the old ones that don't work?

 

[mack22]

The trouble with stopcocks as proved by the no working existing ones, is that they seize up over time, I know the old saying about turning them every six months etc, however with a ball valve you have a lever that is almost idiot proof, when in panic raking around under a sink trying to turn the water off.
also Sure Stop as an additional back up seems to me make sense..

 

[Charnwood]

also Sure Stop as an additional back up.

Surestop now do a version that is WRAS approved as a stopcock in its own right, not just a back-up.
Available with a direct or remote switch.

 

[leakydave]

I have seen sure stops that, well, don't

 

[HERTS P&D]

I would suggest that you hire a plumber with a 'freeze master' who can freeze the incoming water main and remove both faulty stop cocks. Then he will be able to arrange the pipe work so that a stopcock/lever valve is easily be accessible under the kitchen sink.

Andy

 

[Charnwood]

I have seen sure stops that, well, don't

Almost certainly the old style Surestop Water Switch not the Surestop Stopcock. The old style was never given WRAS approval and the new, redesigned ones have.

New style, as shown above, have only been available for a few weeks.

 

[seco services]

They are all WRAS approved since 2001.

 

[mack22]

Thanks to one and all for your helpful replies.
I became aware of the various Sure Stop models available after having looked on Ebay to see what was on offer, so I checked on the WRAS site re approval, and it would seem that only the very latest type are the ones that are recommended as being of sufficiant quality to act as a replacement for a normal stop cock device.

 

[seco services]

I checked on the WRAS site re approval, and it would seem that only the very latest type are the ones that are recommended as being of sufficiant quality to act as a replacement for a normal stop cock device.

The earlier models are just a service valve to be installed with a stopcock.