Turning off mains stopcock

BilzM

Hi all,

I have a pretty bad leak going in my bathroom tap. I tried turning off the usual stopcock inside my house, but it just reduces the flow of the water (it usually cuts it off completely so I guess it's worn out). I went outside to try and turn off the water supply from the stopcock outside (I've never done this before). There is a hexagonal white valve there. It looks like this:

<sorry I can't enter the link address, but it's the first link if i search on google for "water meter stopcock hex key">

I've seen other pictures that suggest there is a tool to open these. I've been trying to turn it with an allen key, and the white thing moves but then makes a click, as though it's slipping on something. Do I actually need the proper tool for this (a friend claims I do... and if so, do I need to contact United Utilities for this)? Note, the white hexagonal thing is turning and the click isn't from the allen key slipping in the hexagon slot. Please help!

Thanks in advance!

naf123

Are you sure it's not leaking water from the hot water tap ?

tacpot12

The valve might only need a quarter turn to open and close it. The clicking may be some sort of clutch mechanism to prevent the white hex from getting stripped. Turning anti-clockwise should turn off the supply. Try turning it through 90 degrees and check if the supply has been cut.

I came across this thread where someone had their stopcock clicking under similar circumstances:

https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/forums/mains-water-stopcock-outside-won-t-turn-back-on-t11008.html

Le_Kirk

What you are suggesting is that your bathroom tap(s) is/are fed from mains. This is unusual as they are normally fed via cold water tank in loft and hot water cylinder in airing cupboard.

Grenage

Why is there an assumption that the OP has a water tank?

societys_child

Grenage wrote: »

Why is there an assumption that the OP has a water tank?

Not seen a c/w tank in a loft for many years, except maybe the odd disconnected/ abandoned one.

Le_Kirk

Grenage wrote: »

Why is there an assumption that the OP has a water tank?

Not an assumption - a suggestion - to which there has been no answer.

EssexExile

societys_child wrote: »

Not seen a c/w tank in a loft for many years, except maybe the odd disconnected/ abandoned one.

You can come & look at mine if you like, I have two.

datostar

EssexExile wrote: »

You can come & look at mine if you like, I have two.

So have I. 1. Cold water supply to upstairs taps and downstairs toilet. Kitchen tap on rising main. 2. Smaller central heating header tank.
Very useful when work being done by water company outside.

cranford

I too have a cold water feed to the upstairs bathroom tap and a working tank in the loft.
When my main stopcock failed a good few years back I got my plumber to put in a stopcock on each of the water feeds near to the main stopcock rather than try to replace the main one. I also have valves on all of my taps so changing taps/ceramic washers etc is not too difficult.
The poster could try to check if they have valves on the dripping tap.

societys_child

EssexExile wrote: »

You can come & look at mine if you like, I have two.

Thanks for invite, but no need, I remember exactly what they look like. :shocked: