Main stopcock at meter not turning off!

andygb

A few years ago we were changed over to metered water, with a different setup outside on the pavement.
For the last few days, the kitchen tap has developed an annoying leak, so I thought I would turn the water off - we don't have isolation taps in the house for the sink - from the main stopcock.
So, I went out, read the instructions - insert plastic key and turn CLOCKWISE until it stops - which slowed the water, but didn't stop it. So I tried again and it is worse than before.
Southern Water is our supplier, so should I contact them, because I can't fix the tap washer with water still coming out.

Crinkmeister

Probably some debris in the valve. Contact your supplier.

andygb

Crinkmeister wrote: »

Probably some debris in the valve. Contact your supplier.

Cheers, I was wondering about that possibility, and as it is outside the bounds of my property I assume that it is up to them to put it right?

Before this meter lark, there used to be an old fashioned brass tap, and it - worked.

Why does it feel like progress results in taking two steps back nowadays?

Swipe

andygb wrote: »

Cheers, I was wondering about that possibility, and as it is outside the bounds of my property I assume that it is up to them to put it right?

Yes, it's their problem, the same thing happened to my parents. Call them and they will come out and replace it free of charge.

EssexExile

Haven't you got a stopcock in the house? Water meter or not I wouldn't want to go fannying about under the pavement on a cold wet winter's night to turn off the water in the event of a leak.

Mankysteve

call them out and while you at install an internal stopcock.

patman99

As Mankysteve says, get them to fix their faulty valve, then get a plumber to fit a nice new service valve on the incoming mains pipe where it enters the house.

If you can fit it yourself, go for a proper, named unit and not a cheap Chinese one as the Chinese units have a very thin pin holding the inards together and this can break.

A couple of handy tips for you.
1. Always turn the main service valve fully-on, then back-off 1/4 of a turn as this makes it easy to release if it should stick when you need to use it.
2. Buy some service valves (the ones with the small lever on are best) to fit as you work on your taps. That way, when you have a tap fail, you can shut off that tap only and not the whole water supply.
3. If your tap is fed from a water tank, you do not need to drain the whole tank, just place a rubber bung in the end of the outflow pipe ( and whilst you have the pipe bunged, why not put in a service valve on that pipe as well).