Outside tap, couple of questions...

[evansuk2000]

Indeed Fireman, so did I but there seemed to be a little confusion

Evan, you need to ensure that there is a double check valve protecting the outside tap, best practice dictates that it should be on the pipe inside, after the isolation valve. I'd check with whoever installed the tap to confirm the tap has backflow protection or take a picture of the outside tap and post it and you will be advised.

If you google draincock/tap, that should show you how to use them, though if you're not sure, I always recommend you get a professional to show you how to use it correctly. You don't drain the drain cock, you drain the pipework via the draincock

Picture now attached of the tap, what do you think?

 

[Madrab]

OK, give us one side on, close to the tap. You need one that looks like this.

Note the raised section, with the small nut at the bottom of threaded connection at the back of the tap, this denotes the 2nd of the 2 check valves, doesn't look like yours has that. I've never seen a non verifiable check valve on an outside tap therefore I don't think yours is a double check valve version. Get them back to fit an internal double check valve to be sure.

Will the regulation police put you in jail if you don't? Hmmm...

 

[evansuk2000]

Will it increase the chance of a leak if I don't have one? Or just a horrid death from contaminated water!? New pic attached:

 

[endecotp]

Just the horrid death.

 

[arfurfouksayke]

well I've seen worse
if you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for this ?

 

[evansuk2000]

£50! Should I be worried? Aghhh

 

[arfurfouksayke]

£50! Should I be worried? Aghhh

there lies the problem,
too do it right with a proper stopcock, internal double check valve , drain cock, lagging, clips etc, would cost you around £90 - £100 mark.

sadly for a lot of people nowadays, it's all about the price

 

[evansuk2000]

£50! Should I be worried? Aghhh

there lies the problem,
too do it right with a proper stopcock, internal double check valve , drain cock, lagging, clips etc, would cost you around £90 - £100 mark.

sadly for a lot of people nowadays, it's all about the price

I mean I would of paid whatever I want it done right...so we don't have the double valve, is this thing ok to use? I'm mainly worried about a leak...should I get someone in to redo it?

 

[FiremanT]

The Double check valve is a backflow protection. In short, if a series of events coincided,foul water (say your hose is in a pond) could be sucked/siphoned back intothe mains. So it isn't just the householder that can be affected.

Personally, I would always have the water falling to the tap, which is what your original query was. In that way, you could isolate the tap, and open it, thus draining it. I also never use those isolation valves - always a full bore lever or a stopcock, unless appearance is King. That may be technically wrong, but I don't see why. Those cheap valves jam and leak too often for my comfort.