Outside Tap not flowing

[Invisibabe]

Hi folks,

A few weeks ago I turned on my outside tap and no water came out. It'd always worked fine, no problems ever, and had last been used a couple of days previously. As there was snow on the ground, I presumed it was just frozen. A couple of days after the weather had warmed up a good bit, I tried the tap again and only a small trickle flowed.

Today I decided to remove the tap and had a fiddle around with it to see if there was anything inside blocking things up. Obviously, I first located what I presumed would be the valve indoors which should shut off the water to that tap, and shut it off. It appeared to be the correct valve, as the tap came off without a drop of water splashing anywhere.

I didn't find anything obvious inside the tap which looked like a blockage, so before I fitted it back on again I decided to try turning the valve back to 'on', just to see if the water would suddenly gush out of the open pipe. It didn't, there was just a small trickle again.

I haven't got much of a clue about plumbing, and so would appreciate any advice anyone can offer. I've attached a couple of photos, in case they help.

In case it's relevant, I'm in a new-build house, so the pipes and tap are less than two years old.

 

[footprints]

Might be the non return valve stuck try giving it a sharp tap with the tap open. It is the brass valve just before the chrome shut off valve.

 

[footprints]

I presume you know the shut off valve only turns quarter turn to operate slot in line with the pipe on, across the pipe off.

 

[Invisibabe]

Thanks footprints. Yep, I knew about the quarter-turn thing, but it defo made sense to check!

I tried your suggestion, and gave the brass valve a few good taps with the end a heavy screwdriver but it's not made any difference. I'm still only getting a trickly through when it's 'turned on'

 

[Stivino]

Then, you have to work backwards removing one piece at a time.
I'd start by disconnecting the downstream piece of pipe on the isolator valve, then check to see if the isolator is ok, i.e. passing.

 

[footprints]

Then I'm afraid its time to get your feet wet!
I assume the sink tap works and the washing machine too, so if no water comes out of the chrome valve when you disconnect at the outlet end, the fault has to be between the chrome valve and the tee off for the tap.
You need to turn off the water and take the non return valve and chrome valve out it has to be one of the two stuck or blocked.

 

[lostinthelight]

.

 

[Invisibabe]

Thanks so much footprints and Stivino. I followed your suggestions and managed to track the problem down to the non-return valve.

Having no idea how these things work, I wasn't able to work out exactly what/why the water wasn't flowing through it, but I was fortunate enough to find a replacement (of the exact same make and size) in my local builder's merchant's.

Getting it fitted with a good tight seal in was a touch fiddly, as even with tape and silicone applied I needed quite a few goes at tightening it that little bit harder before it looked like there were no more drops going to seep out. It seems ok now, but I'm gonna keep a wee eye on it for the rest of the evening.

Thanks again folks, your help with this is really really appreciated. May your festive periods be as awesome as you have been

 

[endecotp]

Getting it fitted with a good tight seal in was a touch fiddly, as even with tape and silicone applied I needed quite a few goes at tightening it that little bit harder before it looked like there were no more drops going to seep out. It seems ok now, but I'm gonna keep a wee eye on it for the rest of the evening.

Hmm, silicone???

 

[Invisibabe]

Hmm, silicone???

The thick gloopy stuff that plumbers use to help get a watertight seal? At least, they used to use it, cos I bought the stuff from a plumber's merchant's a few years ago!

 

[John the plumber]

The thick gloopy stuff that plumbers use to help get a watertight seal? At least, they used to use it, cos I bought the stuff from a plumber's merchant's a few years ago!

Silicone isn’t needed on this

 

[footprints]

Sounds more like Boss White to me.
Smells like putty usually.