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Water isolation valve on each floor?
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tallac
Posts: 416 Forumite

My house is being renovated which includes completely new water pipe plumbing.
Is there any reason why not to ask the builder to add a water isolation valve for both hot and cold water in every floor (ground, 1st floor and loft)? The rationale is that at this stage it would be almost no extra effort and very little cost, but if there's ever a water leak on one floor then I could isolate that floor while still using the water for the rest of the house.
I will be having a system boiler with a hot water storage tank.
Thoughts?
Is there any reason why not to ask the builder to add a water isolation valve for both hot and cold water in every floor (ground, 1st floor and loft)? The rationale is that at this stage it would be almost no extra effort and very little cost, but if there's ever a water leak on one floor then I could isolate that floor while still using the water for the rest of the house.
I will be having a system boiler with a hot water storage tank.
Thoughts?
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Comments
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You should have an isolation valve fitted for each tap, toilet, shower etc as good practice which should be enough for your needs.Make sure they are good quality valves.3
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adonis said:You should have an isolation valve fitted for each tap, toilet, shower etc as good practice which should be enough for your needs.Make sure they are good quality valves.
If there is a single pipe from ground to service all the floor's taps, then having a valve on that pipe could be useful in case there is a leak along that pipe. I can't really picture how the pipe network will be so not sure.
Also, what makes a good quality valve? Is it a particular brand or a valve type? I was thinking of a valve that has a decent size lever like this so you could quickly isolate it if needed:
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Extra valves will do no harm, but the one in your picture is, I guess, for bigger diameter pipes used for gravity fed systems (or, possibly, as the main stopcock) - 28mm I guess. If it's mains pressure, then you need 15mm, maximum 22mm - and such valves AFAIK have smaller lever, if anyI cannot comment on the quality.
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grumbler said:Extra valves will do no harm, but the one in your picture is, I guess, for bigger diameter pipes used for gravity fed systems (or, possibly, as the main stopcock) - 28mm I guess. If it's mains pressure, then you need 15mm, maximum 22mm - and such valves AFAIK have smaller lever, if anyI cannot comment on the quality.0
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Pegler and Altecnic are good brands for domestic valves. Ask the builder to supply either of these brands for all valves and you won't have many problems.
There is no reason not to have isolating valves where you want them; I think an isolating valve that cuts of the cold water supply to the loft that can be accessed without entering the loft is an excellent idea. Having a valve that would allow you to cut off the hot or cold supply to each floor does make some sense.
I would ask them to fit a Surestop stopcock where the water enters the house as well. This means you can turn off the cold water supply to the entire house at the flick of a switch.The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.1 -
adonis said:You should have an isolation valve fitted for each tap, toilet, shower etc as good practice which should be enough for your needs.Make sure they are good quality valves.Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene.'0
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tallac said:My house is being renovated which includes completely new water pipe plumbing.
Is there any reason why not to ask the builder to add a water isolation valve for both hot and cold water in every floor (ground, 1st floor and loft)? The rationale is that at this stage it would be almost no extra effort and very little cost, but if there's ever a water leak on one floor then I could isolate that floor while still using the water for the rest of the house.
I will be having a system boiler with a hot water storage tank.
Thoughts?
Unless you have a MASSIVE house and are zoning everything , I wouldn't bother
However I suspect you will do this anyway regardless of what people say0 -
airaeuro said:travis-powers said:adonis said:You should have an isolation valve fitted for each tap, toilet, shower etc as good practice which should be enough for your needs.Make sure they are good quality valves.
This is me being nice by the way (I was tempted not to be)0 -
I've fitted Full bore isolators in various locations around my house (2 bathrooms, kitchen, utility) just so if i have any probelms I can stop the water to just that room/area while repairing it ( as a Lad I was told make sure you can maintain it at a later date)0
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gamston said:I've fitted Full bore isolators in various locations around my house (2 bathrooms, kitchen, utility) just so if i have any probelms I can stop the water to just that room/area while repairing it ( as a Lad I was told make sure you can maintain it at a later date)0
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