STOP TAP LEAKING

madonnafan · 7 Sep 2006

Turned stop tap off about 1 hour ago to replace tap on bathroom sink.
Turned water back on but now my STOP TAP is dripping/leaking at a rate of 1 pint in 3-4 mins (I have a pint jug under it so thats how I know!)
Not done the obvious (which is to turn it off) as my washing machine is running but I will when its finished!
It also gave me a chance to realise how much is dripping.
Seems like it will never stop!
It has happened before when I had to turn on/off the STOP TAP but only 1 drip every 30-60 seconds!
It then seemed to sort itself out!

Any ideas guys?!

Sharon

JohnD · 7 Sep 2006

Buy some spanners.

You will see two small nuts under the T-handle. Tighten the smaller one just a fraction.

Meanwhile, have a look round to see if there is an additional stop-cock in the front garden or in the pavement (it will be useful if you need a new stopcock fitting later).

Does yours look like newish brass, or is it old and black?

NotSureAboutDIY · 7 Sep 2006

phone the local water company, we had to do this with ours.
they may be able to direct you over the phone to the likely location of your external stop cock.
find it, you will probably also need a tool to both lever it open and reach down the the tap (which is likely to be to far/stubby to turn by hand) you can probably pick one up at a local plumbers merchants, maybe they'll even lend you one....

Once you can switch off the external stop cock you can start playing around with fixing/replacing the internal one...

NotSureAboutDIY · 7 Sep 2006

also for future reference.

when replacing a tap if your plumbings been done well there will be an isolator valve before connection to the tap (it usually has a flat headed screw head in the middle of it) this can isolate the supply to the individual tap (turn it 90 degrees), so you dont need to monkey around with the main stop tap.

waynes · 7 Sep 2006

be warned that yours may be like ours, the outside stop cock turns off half the street! (7 houses)

not too mention the wildlife that had made its home around the stoptap....

madonnafan · 7 Sep 2006

the stop cock has been painted over a dozen times but the tap end looks a dirty brass colour rather than black.
It will have been put in when houses were built in 50's!
I will try tighten things n see how it goes.
As my tap handle is on the side,rather than at the top I assume you mean the nuts there as that makes sense!
I have spanners will get on with summat.
4 kids home soon and no water...not good!!

Cheers,I'll let you kno how I get on!

Sharon[/img]

madonnafan · 7 Sep 2006

chipped the paint off,tightened the nut!
ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE!
Cheers!!!

JohnD · 7 Sep 2006

We love a happy ending

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STOP TAP LEAKING

madonnafan

JohnD

NotSureAboutDIY

NotSureAboutDIY

waynes

madonnafan

madonnafan

JohnD

DIYnot Local

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