Stopcock leaking

[Eltel12]

Hi guys, I have a bit of a problem with the stopcock at my mums house. When open it leaks and when closed it doesn't shut the water off fully. It looks like it's lead before the stopcock and copper after it, either side of the stopcock is covered so I assume it's soldered in.

The stopcock has never been replaced since they've been in the house so it's over 25 years old.

I was hoping to unscrew the valve shaft out leaving the main body in place and replace the valve/tap. Is this possible?

 

[Burnerman]

Its possible, if you can find another stopcock with the same guts as yours....you'll also have to take great care when undoing the body as you don't want to disturb that lead! The rubber washer on this stopcock is either split or disappeared completely.
You should be able to stop the leak by slackening the gland nut completely and sliding it up the shaft, and then winding some ptfe tape as packing back down into the gland. Tightening the gland nut a bit should stop the leak, allowing you to fit another new stopcock after the original one, if you want to do the job that way. Obviously you'll need to turn the water off in the street to do this.
John

 

[Eltel12]

Thanks for the reply John. As you say I'd have to turn the water off on the street, so removing the guts the. Trying to find the same or similar type of fitting is out of the question. Seems best option is fitting a lead lock. How hard are they to fit and select the correct lock?

 

[jackecole]

you'd be better off fitting a new stopcock after the old one as suggested (if space allows) - on the copper pipe

 

[Eltel12]

I'd love that option to be available. I shall try and take a picture of the tap. What I assume to be the gland nut appears to be round so I can only get mole grips on it. The nut is seized onto the tap. When turning the water on the nut comes out causing the leak. With the water off the leak stops but the water supply doesn't shut off completely.

I will have to remove the kitchen unit to gt access to the tap and try heating it to free up the nut.

 

[Burnerman]

Seriously, if you can turn the water off at the street its perfectly possible to refurbish the old stopcock with a new washer and gland packing - lubricating the whole issue with vaseline as you go. The big 'if' is can you hold the stopcock tight when the body is unscrewed?
I wouldn't recommend going down the leadloc route unless you are familiar with them....they work perfectly well but can be tricky to install if access is tight.
John

 

[Eltel12]

Cheers

I can turn the water off from outside not a problem, But it shuts the row of houses off not just the one house.

Is it possible to fit a blank in place of the stopcock so I can turn the water back on whilst refurbing my stopcock?

 

[Burnerman]

Not easily at all, mate....best choose a time when your neighbours are aware of the work.
If the stopcock body can be unscrewed, it can always be put back in if things don't go to plan.
With the body in a vice though, you'll move the gland nut with mole grips - just squirt some WD40 in there a couple of days before you intend to start.
John

 

[Eltel12]

Cheers John,
I think i'll leave it a week before attempting this, I have 3 rooms to decorate in my own house and can't afford to waste a day messing with this.

I just hope removing the tap part is possible without damaging anything else.
If I do manage to free out the tap, Is it a sealed unit? Nothing likely to fall out/apart?

 

[Burnerman]

If you can unscrew the tap body, then the job is nigh on done.....there will be a fibre washer between the removable bit and the body and the offending or missing washer is held onto its jumper with either a small brass nut or nothing, being a push fit.
The only thing, if your luck is really out, is that the seating that the washer bears down on is cracked....unlikely though and you can either see the crack or feel it with a thumbnail. Only suspect this if the washer is in good shape when you unscrew the body.
If you do decide to repair, turn the stopcock on before screwing the body back in.
Wishing you luck if you decide to give it a go!
John

 

[Eltel12]

Thanks again John,

I will attempt this, First off the full kitchen unit, worktop and sink need removing to give me access.
I'll try freeing up the seized nut first to stop the leak. If no luck then the tap part will need removing.

Fingers crossed

 

[joe-90]

The main reason taps don't stop the flow is that you get 'tracking' across the mating surface so the washer can't seal it. You need to use a tap re-seating tool or you might just be wasting your time.

 

[Eltel12]

I'll look into that.
From looking at the stopcock it appears the gland nut has seized to the tap shaft and when the tap was disturbed it's unscrewed the nut.

I'm hoping I can free the nut off and stop the leak.

 

[MANDATE]

As an alternative to using ptfe tape you could consider re-packing the gland.
Existing gland will be rock hard.
Gland packing material is available and purpose made in different sizes.

 

[Eltel12]

As an alternative to using ptfe tape you could consider re-packing the gland.
Existing gland will be rock hard.
Gland packing material is available and purpose made in different sizes.

When you say rock hard, Do you mean seized solid to the tap?