Lead Stopcock HELP!!!

MICK58 · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 7:48 pm Post Subject: Lead Stopcock HELP!!!

Last week I had a dripping tap in the kitchen, I got my son to turn off the water at the stop cock behind the cupboard under the sink. as he turned it, it sheared away from the lead rising main pipe. Q: Is it possible to freeze the rising main, with mains pressure cold water gushing in?

Softus · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:23 pm Post Subject:

Yes, but not while the water is gushing - it would be more natural to turn all taps off and then freeze the pipe.

Alternatively, turn off the water at the street service valve. If you don't fancy trying to replace the existing stop cock, just fit a new one after the old one, and never touch the old one again.

MICK58 · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:04 am Post Subject:

thanks softus,
that is what I thought, it was just that my local council have just replaced all the pavements outside our property and when I went to turn off the supply from our metered stop valve, it was full of sand and cement and I had to call the fire service to unblock it to turn off the supply.
It is some JOBSWORTH at the council said any reputable plumber would have been able to freeze the raising main inside to stop the flood damage in our kitchen and hallway

Birmingham_Spanner · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 2:47 am Post Subject:

Bet he didn't offer to pay for the reputable plumber to do this work for you. Hope you told him that there is only one cock that needs stopping in this carry on.

kevplumb · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:36 am Post Subject:

you can't freeze water if it's running

flatten the pipe ,freeze it . then cut it back

__________________
a little thanks

goes a long way

Softus · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:41 am Post Subject:

MICK58 wrote:

It is some JOBSWORTH at the council said any reputable plumber would have been able to freeze the raising main inside to stop the flood damage in our kitchen and hallway

Perhaps you should point out (a) that he is not a plumber, (b) that he doesn't know what he's talking about, and (c) that any reputable council ought to be able to do work on the pavement without an act of negligance, i.e. blocking access to the water company's service valve.

Softus · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:47 am Post Subject:

kevplumb wrote:

you can't freeze water if it's running

flatten the pipe ,freeze it . then cut it back

Clever