Please help, Stop tap leak

angelsmomma

I just wondered if anyone can tell me how I can fix my stoptap from dripping. I got an emergency plumber in last year as it was dripping when I turned it back on after fixing a leak on my bathroom tap.

This plumber charged me a £70 call out and £20 (don't know what that was for) and to be honest was only in the house 5 minutes. The drip was very small and he said it would stop after a while which it did.

I had to turn off the stoptap again last week to fix the bathtap washer and when I turned the stoptap back on it has now started again and it is no longer a little drip it is filling a plastic ice cream carton overnight. I can't afford to call someone out at the moment so am just emptying the carton every day.

I am a bit worried because it is the bit of pipe where the water comes into the house and I don't know how to work on this bit.

I would be grateful for any ideas, thanks

Chunks

Mains supply coming into the house can be turned off. Problem can be locating this external stopcock. Mine's under a plastic cover on the path outside my house (for example). Once located, it works exactly the same way as the stopcock inside the house. Turn it off and you can then work on your dripping one (after draining down). If you have no clue where yours is, I would ask the neighbours first then maybe the company that supplies the water, if you draw a blank there.

Once the water's off replacing the rubber washer inside the stopcock should be simple enough provided you have the tools of course. If you don't want to tackle the guts of the stopcock, you could also just replace the whole thing (they aren't expensive (washers are of course much much cheaper!) and unless it’s really old, you can almost guarantee a like for like replacement). You need a little play in the pipe work to ease the old unit out and install the new, otherwise it can be a bit of a struggle.

If you have a little DIY skill, shouldn't be a problem. This link might help too:

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/stop_tap/Stop_tap.htm

Good luck.

cheers

Chunks

Canucklehead

Hi,

Go to the link in the previous post.

As you haven't said where the drip is exactly I will hazard a guess it's No 5 on the photo.(the packing gland nut).

Find a small spanner the right size, a small adjustable spanner or a pair of water pump pliers/ grips (least preferred method) tighten the nut. It might only move a little, but it doesn't need much.If it still drips it would need repacking with something like Loctite 55 string.

GSR

angelsmomma

Thank you both so much,

I have now removed the cupboard completely that was next to this so I could get at it properly. I am not sure where the leak is from, it could be 5 its hard to tell at the moment.

The house was built in 1889 and I only had the lead pipes removed 2 years ago so this could be the original stoptap.

I have no idea where the outside tap is, I had the concrete backyard taken up last year and there is no sign of any tap (I did find the original drain that leads to the grids in the alleyway which is useful but nothing else)

I may just wait until I can afford to have it replaced since it had happened before.

I was trying to avoid getting someone in as I don't have much luck with workmen. They seem to think because I am a lone woman I am stupid.

Thanks again