leaking stopcock link & plumbing rates

[harmonia]

I just discovered my stopcock has a regular drip & a search on the web found this link whcih I think is quite useful for locating external stopcock

http://www.readersdigest.co.uk/diy/webpages/306_307.htm

Incidentally if any professional plumbers are reading this can you please tell me what the going hourly rate for a plumber in the home counties is?
I live in Berkshire and was recently charged £40 an hour for a toilet & basin install. Would have done it myself but I was not confident about connecting the soil stack on toilet (awkward position) ended up paying alot of money.
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moderator

please note 9 which is here

 

[chrishutt]

If the drip from your stop valve is from the gland nut (the one around the spindle under the handle) you can tighten this yourself very easily. Just turn 1/8th turn or so clockwise to tighten until drip stops. Then check that tap can be turned still - it will be stiffer.

 

[harmonia]

yes I have fractionally tightened the gland nut and rolled several turns of PTFE tape around it but I am still getting a drip. I guess I will need to locate the boundary tap turn it off and replace the washer. The annoying thing is I didn't have drip prior to the visit from the plumber...

 

[chrishutt]

The main tap washer has nothing to do with this leak. You can seal it with PTFE tape, but it's no use putting it around the gland nut. You have to undo the gland nut completely (don't worry, providing you have the tap handle turned fully open very little water will leak out) and wrap the PTFE tape (or Vaseline and soft string!) around the spindle (clockwise) below the gland nut, then refit the gland nut so that the PTFE tape is compressed around the spindle. This should work.

Alternatively get the previous plumber back to stop the drip - he should have checked it anyway. Every time I use a stop tap (especially an old one) I check for leakage around gland nut (well, in principle I do).

 

[Paul Barker]

Agreed, they always do this when we've been, most of the time we remember but sometimes we forget to deal with it. Usually explaining to householder what to do as Chris has you, gets us out of a return visit.

 

[harmonia]

Chris thanks for the advice I will give that ago..just abit nervous about slacking off off the gland nut Yes given the amount the plumber charged me I should have got hime back in

 

[Nige F]

Outside stopcock is your water co.s property, and their responsibility to locate and check that it`s working properly.If you ask them- no charge. In the sticks, stopcocks buried in grass etc. They can save you hours of searching.