Replace tap washer. Can't stop water

modelreject

Hi,

I have found a place under our kitchen sink to turn off mains water but it only stops the water to the actually kitchen sink and not to the bathroom upstairs. I need to change the washers on the taps in the bathroom but can't turn off the water.

Any advice?

Thanks,
C

Threewheeler

Need to check if there is a in line water valve that you can turn off. if not then you may have to drain the tank with the mains off and then repair, some houses have an in line valve on the main out pipe from the tank, basically if you can turn off somewhere along the line to the tap , maybe a valve inthe airing cupboard. Leave the water running from the tap whilst you try to turn the supply line off.
don't forget to open any valve that you close afterwards.
Hope this helps.

Threewheeler

Also if changing hot water washers, the boiler needs to be off whilst working and if no inline valves drained before you start or you will get a nasty burn!!

dander

or you can freeze the pipes.

vaio

Easiest method (that doesn’t involve crawling around in the loft) is

Fill kettle from kitchen tap
Turn off water supply
Turn on all bathroom taps
Boil kettle & make tea
Drink tea whilst listening for flow from bathroom taps to stop
When it has stopped, change washers as required
Turn all taps off and turn water supply back on

modelreject

I have a gas combi boiler which heats all the water in the house and the old turn off tap I can find is under the kitchen sink. There is no water tank, just direct from mains. Totally baffled.

Canucklehead

Hi,

If you have a water meter fitted in the street turn it off there . Nice and easy to use.
Or you need to search out your pipe run and find the inside main stopcock.

GSR.

ormus

as above. find the rising main stop coc k.
the one under the kitchen sink, may not be the main SC.

failing that find the one in the street.

gas4you

If the op's house has been plumbed properly, the cold for the bathroom will be off the storage tank in the loft.

As said, there should be a gate valve in the airing cupboard to turn off the cold to the bathroom as well as a gate valve to turn off the hot taps.

Turning off the stop !!!! will work, eventually, but he will have to wait for the storage tank to empty first!

WestonDave

If your house was built with a downstairs toilet try in there to look for a stoptap, if not then work out where your street stop tap is and work out the probable entry point into the house as being in line with that - check inside along that line, or try directly under the bathroom, or directly under the airing cupboard. Its also worth checking near your combi boiler as that will be taking a cold mains feed so you can possibly trace that pipe back.

mikey72

modelreject wrote: »

I have a gas combi boiler which heats all the water in the house and the old turn off tap I can find is under the kitchen sink. There is no water tank, just direct from mains. Totally baffled.

It should all turn off from the valve under the sink.
Does the water flow slow down when you turn it as far as possible?
Sounds like it's stuck before it turns off fully.
Check when you turn it as far as you can, then turn on all the taps downstairs, is there any water coming out upstairs? I've done a few that way before now.