External Stopcock/stoptap

Useless_ukpc

Hi all,

           Need some help please.

Recently discovered a water leak that's comming from the kitchen.

Have had dyno rod out and they confirmed the leak is from the mains water supply before the internal stopcock.

To effect repair the dynonman wanted to switch off the external stop !!!!!!. Unfortunately all that happened was the water supply was restricted but not stopped.

Dyno said I have to call Thames water to get the external stopcock repaired to enable the mains supply to be switched off to effect the repair on the internal leak.

Thames water are advising they don't fix the external stop !!!!!! but will send a person round when dyno comes back to switch off main supply.

Dyno say this is not good enough and the external stopcock needs repair.

Back to Thames water who say nope they will not as it means switching off the whole neighbourhood. 

Im at my wits end. What do I do? 

Useless_ukpc

The exclamation marks are supposed to refer to the stopcock!

grumbler

What sort of pipe is it and how do they want to repair it?

If it's some old led pipe, I'd consider replacing it.

Useless_ukpc

It's a copper pipe that feeds the cold water into the internal stopcock. And the pipe is leaking before it gets to the internal stop !!!!!!.

Dyno want to replace the pipe but need mains supply switched off at external stopcock.

Nearlyold

It all sounds a bit confusing, the external stopcock i.e., the one in the street/pavement/edge of your drive is usually the responsibility of the Water company. Where is the external stopcock you're referring to?

Do you live in a flat or a house? 

grumbler

Useless_ukpc said:

It's a copper pipe that feeds the cold water into the internal stopcock. And the pipe is leaking before it gets to the internal stop !!!!!!.

Dyno want to replace the pipe but need mains supply switched off at external stopcock.

Where is the pipe? Is it accessible? Any plumber can repair a copper pipe by freezing part of it upstream.

nofoollikeold

1. Unless the leak can be stopped on a bodge / temporary basis, you can't freeze the pipe.  Freezers only work on non-moving water.
2. Maybe misunderstood communication between Dynorod and Thames Water?

grumbler

nofoollikeold said:

1. Unless the leak can be stopped on a bodge / temporary basis, you can't freeze the pipe.  Freezers only work on non-moving water.

Yes, if the pipe is accessible and damage isn't very big, the leak can be stopped temporarily with pipe repair tape.

Useless_ukpc

It's a house I'm in and the external stopcock is outside the house in the pavement.

Dyno tried to switch this off but all that happened was the water slowed to a trickle in the house but not shut-off completely.

Dyno insist there is nothing they can do until Thames water fix the external stopcock. 

Thames water say they won't fix the external stopcock just because it can't be shut off completely. 

Useless_ukpc

I tried to quote the post I was responding to but no matter what I did, my post was 9 characters to short?

Useless_ukpc

Basically dyno have managed to slow the leak down quite a lot but the pipe needs replacing.

Replacing the pipe can only be done when the mains are switched off outside at the external stopcock.