Stop tap leaking very slowly

DocQuincy

I have noticed that the stop tap in the cellar is leaking. It was wet when I adjusted the water pressure the other day (recently had some work done and the pressure was left on a bit too high, I think perhaps it started leaking from this point) so left a bucket underneath and it is dripping albeit very, very slowly (barely even one drop an hour if I had to guess).

1. How much of a plumber's time would this take? I am assuming it is a fairly simple job for a pro: turn the water off from the street, drain the system, take out the old stop tap, replace with a new one. What are we talking here — an hour's work plus a bit for the part? The stop tap is easily accessible.
   
2. I assume the drip will get progressively worse but is there any chance in the near future that this thing is going to burst?
   

Thanks!

ianto11

Hi
Is it a mains stopcock like this ?

and where's it leaking ?  if it's out the stem the little brass nut under the tap head can be nipped up, just make sure you dont tighten the gland nut so much you can't close the valve...no need for plumber

DocQuincy

Hi, thanks for the fast reply!

Yes, it is very similar to that and it is the mains one since it disconnects water to the entire house.

I don't know any of the terminology but imagine the tap from your image is angled more to the side. The water is leaking out from where the tap is screwed in. And around this area it does look a bit limescaley (hard to tell as the light is not great down there) so, I don't know, maybe this has been happening for ages.

So basically you think I should just try tightening the bolt and see if that fixes it? I did think of that but because my knowledge is limited and to avoid risk of flooding, no matter how small, I thought it worth checking first.

grumbler

DocQuincy said:

he water is leaking out from where the tap is screwed in. And around this area it does look a bit limescaley

I don't understand. You have to explain this better.

hard to tell as the light is not great down there

That's what portable lamps and torches exist for.

DocQuincy

Thanks for the reference image; I think it is leaking out from underneath the gland nut. I did take a photo with my phone this morning but it wasn't very clear.

I am at work now so will check again once home and will try @ianto11’s suggestion and if that doesn't work I will get a plumber in.

*j*

Youtube has many clips...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPc3Y4xavts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9b1AxSxbgw

-taff

Thanks for that, I've got an outside tap doing that and I was going to replace it but I'll try that first.

twopenny

I had an outside tap doing that and I was getting hardly any water. A young plumber giving me a quote for something else just tightened up a nut and I now have a tap that works properly. A year I struggled with that and it took 3mins to fix,

DocQuincy

I tightened the gland nut and have been checking it over the last week or so and it seems to have stopped leaking so thanks for the advice!

Next time I have a plumber round is it worth getting it replaced — does it leaking mean its on its way out? I would guess it is at least 15 years old.

Niv

DocQuincy said:

I tightened the gland nut and have been checking it over the last week or so and it seems to have stopped leaking so thanks for the advice!

Next time I have a plumber round is it worth getting it replaced — does it leaking mean its on its way out? I would guess it is at least 15 years old.

In my opinion, it leaking in this case was because the gland nut had loosened, not due to being 'on the way out'. This taps are not opened / closed often so can cease up / limescale up so when you do open/close it can take the gland nut with it.
What I would do is approx every 6 months spray a little pennetrant spray / WD40 on it and turn the tap half turn each way. Oh, and dont leave the tap fully open, that way you have a littel slack to play with if it does get stuck.

DocQuincy

Brilliant, thank you.

We have quite high pressure so I have it turned down quite low anyway. I'll do that with the WD40 too!