A question about pipe freezing kits

[cookie19876]

My mothers house has a seeping overflow in the loft. Its the ball valve to the large tank, which slowly trickles water at its shut off point. The mains stop tap under the sink is stuck and the one outside is full of grey gunk and all kinds of debris. I stopped trying to find it after I cut my finger on something down there. So....

Ive ordered an arctic ice freeze kit. Plan being, freeze the main pipe in the loft and replace the old ball valve. Now the question is - will the trickling ball valve affect the freezing process? Its more of a drip-drop rather than a trickle.

Also, I noticed that the mains feed (in the loft) isnt jointed with 15mill connectors but by a process where one end was made wider so the other end could slide in and be soldered up. I ask because I intended to fit a new stop tap up there too and I began to wonder if this strange method of coupling pipes was a half inch pipe thing and not 15mill

 

[HERTS P&D]

Get a plumber, you will only cause damage.

Andy

 

[Nige F]

Phone your water supplier - they should clear and repair their outside stoptap. Yes the trickling water WILL stop the freeze working. You really don't want to be trying to freeze pipes up in a loft - under a wood suspended floor, maybe.

 

[slippyr4]

As an aside, you might find the ballvalve stops trickling if you adjust the float downwards. But then, you might not.

 

[cookie19876]

Thanks folks for your advice. To be quite honest, I wasnt looking forward to working with a frozen pipe in the loft anyway. Too many hazards and dangers, not to mention the feeling of working with a ticking time bomb )

Nige F: I`ll get in touch with severn trent...and when thats all cleared up I will safely replace the ball valve myself.

Slippyr4: You jogged my memory with that little trick. I`ll give it a go. Cheers!

 

[cookie19876]

I have a new question. What is the grey, smelly mud all about in the outdoor stop tap? Also, is it common to find such a stop valve covered with bits of sharp rock/debris/mess? I was a plumber for 8 years (mid 80s-90s) and I never came across that. Subsidence?

 

[HERTS P&D]

What do you mean, you were a plumber? You should be able to sort this out without coming onto a Diy site.

Andy

 

[cookie19876]

Yes I can deal with it and thats when I thought of a freeze kit to do the job quickly. Just wanted some advice as I have never used one before.

Its been 20 or so years since Ive had to pick up a pair of grips.

 

[oilboffin]

The muck is just general crap which finds it's way into the stop cock hole I use a long steel rod to loosen it then get it out wearing gloves.You sometimes find the cock is a long way down.