Lead Mains & Leaking Mains Stopcock (-photos added)

[jack_s]

Photos of the leaking stopcock on Lead mains:
it's a "Brighton Pattern stopcock" .

Pic 1: What does left valve do ??
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic1-DSCF5960.jpg
Pic 2: Right valve -switches off mains water.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic2-DSCF5956.jpg
Pic 3: Left valve, doesn't turn. Don't know what this does. You can see lot of water leaking from around spindle.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic3-DSCF5964.jpg
Pic 4: Right valve. Very small leak from around spindle.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic4-DSCF5979.jpg
Pic 5: Left valve. Water leaking from around spindle.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic5-DSCF5982.jpg
Pic 6: From above.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic6-DSCF5957.jpg
Pic 7: From below.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic7-DSCF5968.jpg
Pic 8: and guess where I live ???
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa10/peter999_photos/pic8-brighton_front15.jpg

http://imageevent.com/jack999/leakingstopcock

My mains stopcock is leaking around the turning handle.

The mains stopcock is on a Lead pipe.

The mains feeds my basement flat & the flat upstairs.
The stopcock is in a coal cellar outside my front door, which is about 6ft from the footpath/property boundary.

This is the only stopcock & there isn't another stopcock on the footpath for the property.
Normally I think the water board is responsible up to the property boundary, but I'm not certain here as the one & only stopock is on my property.

============================================
1) Who's responsibility is the one & only mains stopcock in my coal cellar (as it's on my property)

-is it mine or the water board ??

2) Will the water board replace the leaking mains stopcock at their expense or will they want me to pay ??

3) Will they want/insist on me changing the lead piping ??

(6ft from footpath to stopcock & 6ft from stopcock to connection with copper pipe in property)

3) If I have to pay, can I just get ONLY stopcock replaced quickly & easily WITHOUT replacing the remaining lead piping ??

Thanks
jack

 

[EliteHeat]

To the best of my understanding:-

1) Your responsibility
2) They will insist that you pay
3) All lead pipe must be removed as a matter of course
4) Yes, I expect that you probably can

 

[chrishutt]

My mains stopcock is leaking around the turning handle.

Just tighten the gland nut just below the leak. In most cases this will stop the leak.

 

[Nige F]

Sounds like the council have paved over the water co. stopcock in the pavement.you could ask the water co. about fitting a new one and how much it will involve you-re. new pipe your side. Just don`t tell them your address.......and keep a club hammer near the lead main ....to hammer it flat if you need to isolate in an Emergency and the inside stopcock won`t work

 

[fitz1]

as from feb 1st water board will not isolate mains incoming from road . u need to freeze and repair if necessary.

 

[Nige F]

Is that just one area, or UK wide Flippin `eck

 

[brumylad]

I think they try to get away with saying that but they're under pressure to meet leakage targets so if there is a leak they might look for your boundry box isolation stop tap.

The other tactic is to advise them that you have children and you're worried your water supply is occasionally a bit discoloured / contaminated and that the isolation valve might be responsible and has been paved over.

I say this cos I've seen it used a couple of times and it usually get someone round within a couple of days.

 

[fitz1]

northwest at least. and from april 2006 we need to self certify plumbing work aswell as gas , electric and ventilation. bank balance going down again. we all should be charging B.G. prices.

 

[jack_s]

On point (4), do you really think I can get ONLY the stopcock changed, without having to change lead pipework

-that's what is worrying me, calling in the water board & it all starting to escalate !!

If it's my responsibility, I don't mind paying just to get the stopcock changed.

What worries me is if they insist the 12ft of lead pipework has to be changed, routing the pipework from pavement to stopcock in coal cellar,
then under the brick/concrete floor outside my front door onto the connection with copper pipe under the hall floor in property.

===============================================

>> 4) If I have to pay, can I just get ONLY stopcock replaced quickly &
>> easily WITHOUT replacing the remaining lead piping ??

To the best of my understanding:-

1) Your responsibility
2) They will insist that you pay
3) All lead pipe must be removed as a matter of course
4) Yes, I expect that you probably can

 

[fitz1]

i would suggest , if ur staying in the property for many years,get a new main. if not, get a local plumber to freeze pipe and fit new stop tap or repair old.

 

[Softus]

The other tactic is to advise...

I say this cos I've seen it used a couple of times and it usually get someone round within a couple of days.

In other words, just tell enough lies until you get your own way for free or cheap. It's a very handy technique, usable in all sorts of circumstances - evading income tax, selling cars, making false insurance claims, getting your chav boyfriend to get you pregnant...

No wonder this country is getting so costly and unpleasant to live in. Still, at least I'm not in B/ham.

 

[jack_s]

I have tried to tighten gland nut.
It seemed to turn quite a lot with little effect and didn't seem to be tightening up.

I didn't keep turning, as it seemed to be turning too much without tightening.

In fact it probably seemed to drip more, maybe because I disturbed it.

Someone did advise to repack the gland, so I bought some plumbers hemp. Because when I tightened nut it didn't seem to be tightening up, I didn't think it worth risking untightening & trying to repack.

There is also another smaller handle on the opposite side to main stopcock handle. This is ALSO leaking !!!

-any ideas what this smaller handle is for ??

My mains stopcock is leaking around the turning handle.

Just tighten the gland nut just below the leak. In most cases this will stop the leak.

 

[fitz1]

can u post photo

 

[Softus]

can u post photo

Oh, not yet! I assure that I'm very good looking, and have an exceptionally GSOH

 

[chrishutt]

There is also another smaller handle on the opposite side to main stopcock handle. This is ALSO leaking !!!

This might be the drain valve for the system. You should be able to stop this leaking by tightening it (square head ?) clockwise. As for the gland nut, did it feel as if the thread was engaging? If so, it should be sealable, but if the threads gone, it's going to be tricky.