Mains stop cock.

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Our house was built in 1939. The main stop cock is outside the house. Which stop cock key will I need ? I removed quite a bit of soil and found that the top of the cock looks about a half inch/or three quarter inch square. Would that be the correct size for a house built at that time ?
Our water pressure inside the house is now low after new plastic mains pipes were fitted in the area approx. 2 years back.
The stop cock tap below the kitchen sink is seized, and I do not want to touch that until I have the correct key for the outside one.
With the correct outside key, if I can open up that cock a bit more(hopefully) would that increase the water pressure into the house ?
Also re the outside cock, if it has seized after all this time, should I try a bit WD40 to see if that would free it ?
 
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Hi mate, if they have renewed the old water mains for plastic there should be a key with it, if not, open a neighbours water main grid and see if there is a key in that one. The new mains stop tap in the street off the ferrule has a plastic key. If its the old type you can buy a stop rod from bnq, they're about two to three feet long, have a cross bar at the top and kind of a two prong fork at the bottom. You locate the prongs over the tap head, but be careful, move it back and two a few times to loosen it. If you can turn it off, you can the replace the stop cock in the house easily. If the stop cocks have been seazed, there could be a chance that the valve seat washer has broken up and causing an obstruction this reducing flow. Hope this helps. You could go to any plumbing trade centre for a street key, probably cheaper than bnq.
 
Just read again, so it would appear that the tap head is missing off the street stop cock? Mmm? You may have to improvise with a tool, or try and get a self adjusting tap spanner on it they should reach but maybe a bit too big. You would have to try and find a new tap head for it from a builders/plumbers merchant.
 
You could get a 4 in 1 Universal Stop Cock Key, (Screwfix)
Fits 2 sizes stop Taps and 2 sizes square stops on taps.
Clean out pit, plenty of WD 40 and a bit of luck you may be able to turn it off, if not its going to be a job for the water board.


ae235
 
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Bosswhite, Yes looks like the tool we were loaned years back when we moved in, so that we could turn the water on for the house. The outside stop cock is within our grounds and just outside the kitchen window. There has never been a handle on the outside stopcock.
The replacement mains pipes were only in the street and not within our property, so we will still have the original metal pipes leading up to our outside stop cock.
 
Just read again, so it would appear that the tap head is missing off the street stop cock? Mmm? You may have to improvise with a tool, or try and get a self adjusting tap spanner on it they should reach but maybe a bit too big. You would have to try and find a new tap head for it from a builders/plumbers merchant.
:eek: :rolleyes: Even I know that's codswallop.
 
Just read again, so it would appear that the tap head is missing off the street stop cock? Mmm? You may have to improvise with a tool, or try and get a self adjusting tap spanner on it they should reach but maybe a bit too big. You would have to try and find a new tap head for it from a builders/plumbers merchant.

I agree with Charn, i think you need to read more than this thread if you want to carry on calling yourself a "plumber"

the taphead won't be missing at all, it didn't have one to start with :rolleyes:
 
A picture would help.

If this is the water meter tap then you could always borrow a neighbours handle, it's normally left in the well. If its a old brass tap with a missing handle then that's slightly tricky. Your local water company should be able to change it as anything upto the house including your internal stop tap is there responsibility.
 
Your local water company should be able to change it as anything upto the house including your internal stop tap is there responsibility.

alot of misinformation on this thread

that is totally wrong as well, it is your responsibility as soon as it enters your property (front garden not your house) which is why the co stoptap is placed as close to your boundary as possible, it won't be a plastic stoptap or one where some handle has fallen off, it is a square top which comes in two sizes, the multitool above is designed to fit either although in my experience it doesn't
 
Your local water company should be able to change it as anything upto the house including your internal stop tap is there responsibility.

alot of misinformation on this thread

that is totally wrong as well, it is your responsibility as soon as it enters your property (front garden not your house) which is why the co stoptap is placed as close to your boundary as possible, it won't be a plastic stoptap or one where some handle has fallen off, it is a square top which comes in two sizes, the multitool above is designed to fit either although in my experience it doesn't

We've been told we, as a company, only cover the plumbing from the outlet side of the internal stop tap, the inlet pipe and the one in the ground is Anglia Water (as a example) responsibility. I've had them out before to replace seazed taps and knackered meters.

If I'm wrong then I've learnt something.
 
Clean out the hole really well and dribble wd40 down a metal ro use plenty leave for couple of days if no good get water co to free it off or change it they charge enough for water let em do a bit of work for it :p :p
 
Not entirely on subject but last week i phoned Yorkshire Water as my outside stop tap,which is on my drive,was turning but not shutting the water off. I was informed by them that their responsibility ended at my boundary but they would send someone down the next day to have a look and tell me my options. Chap turned up and said he thought the washer had gone and
promptly removed the head off the stop tap and fitted a new one as, in his words,a goodwill gesture with no charge. I see the OP lives in Yorkshire and might benefit from this if he's any further problems.
 

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