Lead pipe and stop cock

[Londoner2]

Hiya,

My old stopcock needs changing, i will have to replace the lead pipe soon in the long run but over short term need to swop out old stopcock.

Is it an easy job for any plumber to do and can they replace it with a lever valve rather than a normal stopcock?

See Pic.

Thanks.

 

[blup]

Should be straightforward and I believe lever valves can be used but check with your local water company for any specific requirements like back flow valves. Lead to copper needs a specialist fitting.

Blup

 

[Dan Robinson]

Is it an easy job for any plumber to do

Depends on the plumber, and whether or not there is another form of isolation upstream.

can they replace it with a lever valve rather than a normal stopcock?

Yes.

 

[durhamplumber]

Not sure Water authorities are keen on lever as they can cause a pressure surge instead of more gradual closure of conventional type

 

[Nige F]

Depends on the plumber, and whether or not there is another form of isolation upstream.



.

As Dan says - need to shut the street (upstream) stopcock - or get the water authority to change the street one F.O.C. and then find a plumber who can take out that lead/copper stopcock and overhaul it in the back of his van. Good luck with that for £ess than £100 in London If you can find one at all.

 

[Londoner2]

As Dan says - need to shut the street (upstream) stopcock - or get the water authority to change the street one F.O.C. and then find a plumber who can take out that lead/copper stopcock and overhaul it in the back of his van. Good luck with that for £ess than £100 in London If you can find one at all.

No need to overhaul the stopcock, it needs changing.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'd be more worried about the lead than I would the stopcock. A decent plumber could get it close to a new condition, possibly without even removing the body providing the water can be isolated elsewhere.

 

[Madrab]

Yup, change lead out regularily, awful lot in the tenements up here. Not allowed to repai it, have to replace it. Had to repair a few of those old imperials taps too where replacement wasn't cost effective.
As long as they arent too worn then, good internal clean and polish with wire wool, re-grease and a new washer The trick with those old stop taps is getting enough leverage to crack the valve body seal without bending the pipe/lead, 2 good pair of stilsons usually does the trick.

OP, you need someone with experience using lead locs, they have a certain knack to getting them to be leak free. Either that or they cut a tap in a little further downstream and leave that tap there. Does it work at all?

 

[Londoner2]

A plumber saw it yesterday, says should be ok to swop out, whether needs to use a leadloc remains to be seen he says he can fit a full bore lever as well as a normal stopcock..

 

[Londoner2]

I'd be more worried about the lead than I would the stopcock. A decent plumber could get it close to a new condition, possibly without even removing the body providing the water can be isolated elsewhere.

Water can be isolated from outside on pavement.

 

[Dan Robinson]

You're laughing then.

 

[Nige F]

Lead Loc ? there are unions on both sides of the stopcock. Crack on and let us know the £damage.

 

[Madrab]

there are unions on both sides of the stopcock

But you can't get a new imperial tap to fit them surely? Those unions will be old, a new tap's thread surely wouldn't fit them? May even have flared ends on the pipe. That being said you could cut just behind the nut on the copper tail and then use a normal tap plus nut, a wee bit of copper and a straight connector to the left.

 

[Nige F]

You're right - but I meant taking out/replacing the old one would be straightforward. Why is a new one needed ?

 

[Londoner2]

You're right - but I meant taking out/replacing the old one would be straightforward. Why is a new one needed ?

1) old one is leaking.
2) Also think its contributing to low pressure upstairs as it was shutoff when a tap was changed.

Bought 1 stopcock and 1 full bore lever valve from screwfix, will get a plumber to install lever valve, that should increase pressure slightly.