renew old soldered stopcock

[guinnessdog]

I live in an old terraced back to back property in Yorkshire. The main water supply comes in from the neighbours house and supplies my house and the house behind me:



The stopcock tap is leaking when in the off position and I would like to change it. Also I am experiencing knocking pipes in the house because I believe the water pressure is too high. I would like to change the whole stopcock or just the handle section if its possible to purchase these separately? I also want to add a pressure reducing valve so I can stop the knocking.

I have a few issues, first is that I can't turn off the water supply as it comes from my neighbour. I have bought a pipe freezing kit but that will only give me 20-30mins to work on it and I don't want it thawing out and flooding the cellar. Second is that the stopcock is soldered in, here is a close up:



The new stopcock I bought is a 15mm compression fitting.


Does anyone know if I can buy the screw/tap section for one of these valves so that I could just replace that rather than the whole stopcock? Does anyone know if Yorkshire water is required to give me a separate supply? Does anyone have any other ideas or advice? :smart:

 

[rpm]

Hang around as we have so many members from Yorkshire there is probably one just around the corner from you that will advise.

Or post here

[DLMURL="http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/im-looking-plumber-gas-engineer/"]I'm looking for a Plumber or Gas Engineer[/DLMURL]

 

[paulusgg]

It's likely that there is a stopcock further upstream that will stop the flow to your house and your neighbours. As a courtesy inform them that you'd like to turn of the water to perform essential repairs.

I don't believe the water suppliers have to provide dedicated services, (but I may be wrong!)

 

[snowhead]

Yorkshire water will allow you to have a separate supply but you'll have to pay for it.

The common feed is the joint responsibility of all the properties connected to it until it gets outside to the street.

As above they'll be a stopcock upstream for the common supply.

This is one of those jobs that looks relative simple but has the potential to go pear-shaped for a Diyer.

When you say the old one is leaking, do you mean passing water through the stopcock or leaking out the gland on the valve stem?

 

[Roger Welton]

as above, the if you get the old one out and get stuck you will have several unhappy neighbours with no water all looking at you.

 

[quality]

most old stop taps leak from the stem in the off position when they are turned off but its no DIY job to repair if you can not turn it off.

 

[REDSAW]

plenty of those at the back of kirkstall rd

just put a new one in after it!

 

[Last Plumber]

It could be frozen below the tap then cut the pipe right beneath the tap and fit a compression stop tap. Better with a refrigerator type freezer and I'd get a plumber just in case it goes wrong, ( ice plugs can shift ).

 

[guinnessdog]

Thanks everyone for your help!

The water is leaking out the gland at the base of the handle, not through where it's connected to the pipe which is why I thought replacing the tap handle section might be an option?

The leak is only when the tap is in the off position so perhaps fitting another stopcock after this one and just leave the old one there in the on position? I could do this myself but I think you are all right I'd need to call in a professional to replace this stopcock.

 

[paulusgg]

Quite often just pinching up the gland nut with spanner will solve the problem!

 

[REDSAW]

get a plumber in shouldnt cost much if you tell them to re-pack the gland