2 stop taps in house - ideal or not?

[pilsbury]

Doing a side kitchen extension. There is a lead main coming into the house with the stop tap currently situated right in the middle of the new kitchen floor. Clearly this has to be relocated.

Due to time and finances I'll be leaving the lead pipe in situ and utilise a leadlock to cut the pipe a few meters away from the current stoptap location and put a new one in the utility room and connect to the house supply in. However, it appears it would be very easy to install a T underground and continue the run to the new kitchen which would also require a stoptap of its own. Much easier than coming off a single stop tap and retracing the mains supply back to the extension.

Thoughts

PS. The lead pipe can be replaced later if needed.

 

[Doggit]

PS. The lead pipe can be replaced later if needed

What do you mean, "if needed". Replace the lead pipe as soon as possible, and check with your local water authority if they can make a contribution to the job.

If you intend to replace the lead pipe, then whatever you do now is immaterial, as long as you can then avoid any of the joints that will be under the floor, as these could give rise to problems in the future. If you're replacing the lead pipe, then you'll do it in blue MDPE, so you really want to put in a surface run pipe for now wrapped in insulation, going from the water meter, to wherever it's going to come into the new kitchen. Then when your ready, and hopefully before it gets too cold, you'd then set the pipe underground, and shorten it to then get it back into the water meter. In an ideal world, you'd have a continuous run from the water meter, to the new stop cock in the kitchen.

 

[pilsbury]

Thanks for the reply - I'll have a good think about the best way to do this. Surface running is not an option - goes across the drive - will need to be trenched in immediately.

 

[Doggit]

Should have added that if you put in 25mm MDPE, then you'll get a nice boost in water pressure. Not sure if you have a combi, but you can turn on the cold tap or flush the loo, and not affect the shower. It may be a pain the Arris to do it, but you'll definitely appreciate it; and you'll get a bit back for the scrap lead.