No internal stop !!!! in property - help locating mains water

af2909_2

Foolishly I didn't hunt down the internal stop !!!! before buying my place last year (puts tin hat on and awaits a telling off :eek:)

Anyway as there is no stopcock, I now need to fit one however I need to look for the mains supply. What options do I have? Do I dig an inspection hole near the external stop !!!! to see the direction of the pipe? Or do I have to tear up the floor boards bit by bit? Or would the waterboard have an idea as to which way the water enters?

Any suggestions as to what to do would be much appreciated :beer:

mart.vader

af2909 wrote: »

Foolishly I didn't hunt down the internal stop !!!! before buying my place last year (puts tin hat on and awaits a telling off :eek:)

Anyway as there is no stopcock, I now need to fit one however I need to look for the mains supply. What options do I have? Do I dig an inspection hole near the external stop !!!! to see the direction of the pipe? Or do I have to tear up the floor boards bit by bit? Or would the waterboard have an idea as to which way the water enters?

:beer:

As you found your external stopcock, most usually, (though not always) the internal stopcock is in line with it. i.e. if it's outside your front gate, the pipe will run in a moreorless straight line from there into your property. The Water Co will have no better idea than this. No point in digging round the external stopcock - it won't tell you anything !

The most logical place to fit a new stopcock is, on the pipe as soon as the pipe enters the property, so that as much of the pipe as possible is controlled by that valve.

A favourite place to put an internal stopcock is under the floorboards in the hall. If you have a solid floor, you may have to find a better place.

Another place is in the kitchen under the sink.

af2909_2

mart.vader wrote: »

As you found your external stopcock, most usually, (though not always) the internal stopcock is in line with it. i.e. if it's outside your front gate, the pipe will run in a moreorless straight line from there into your property. The Water Co will have no better idea than this. No point in digging round the external stopcock - it won't tell you anything !

The most logical place to fit a new stopcock is, on the pipe as soon as the pipe enters the property, so that as much of the pipe as possible is controlled by that valve.

A favourite place to put an internal stopcock is under the floorboards in the hall. If you have a solid floor, you may have to find a better place.

Another place is in the kitchen under the sink.

I thought that this may have been the case - the external stopcock isn't in line with the front entrance, it's actually closer to the left hand side of the property (which is the front bedroom being a ground floor maisonette)

Therefore it's carpets up and floor boards up then. I do have fitted wardrobes so looks like the internal stopcock will be located there!