Fit internal stopcock

[Gilz]

Hi

The house i live in was built over 100 years ago, it was converted into two flats and mine is the upper flat.

The flat was renovated before i bought it and has new grey type piping under the bath etc but old copper pipe everywhere else.

I have one problem, there isn't a stop c*ck in my property. The stopcock is the flat downstairs.

This is obviously not suitable for cases of emergency etc.

If my neighbour switches off the water, how easy is it to fit a new stop c*ck in my flat?

Can this be done as a diy job or will i require a plumber?

Thanks

Gillian

[Dave Fawthrop]

|Hi | |The house i live in was built over 100 years ago, it was converted |into two flats and mine is the upper flat. | |The flat was renovated before i bought it and has new grey type piping |under the bath etc but old copper pipe everywhere else. | |I have one problem, there isn't a stop c*ck in my property. The |stopcock is the flat downstairs. | |This is obviously not suitable for cases of emergency etc. | |If my neighbour switches off the water, how easy is it to fit a new |stop c*ck in my flat? | |Can this be done as a diy job or will i require a plumber?

Yes done it myself, if you can turn off the water. I did it in the under drawing without being able to turn of the water, spectacular and not recommended.

[zaax]

So these freeze kits don't work?

[Dave Fawthrop]

|Dave Fawthrop wrote: | |> On 1 Feb 2007 02:06:42 -0800, "Gilz" wrote: |> |> > Hi |> > |> > The house i live in was built over 100 years ago, it was converted |> > into two flats and mine is the upper flat. |> > |> > The flat was renovated before i bought it and has new grey type |> > piping under the bath etc but old copper pipe everywhere else. |> > |> > I have one problem, there isn't a stop c*ck in my property. The |> > stopcock is the flat downstairs. |> > |> > This is obviously not suitable for cases of emergency etc. |> > |> > If my neighbour switches off the water, how easy is it to fit a new |> > stop c*ck in my flat? |> > |> > Can this be done as a diy job or will i require a plumber? |> |> Yes done it myself, if you can turn off the water. I did it in the |> under drawing without being able to turn of the water, spectacular |> and not recommended. | |So these freeze kits don't work? |

was before freeze kits came on the market.

[EricP]

If you have the tools to hand to do it then it will cost you about £4.50 and an hour of time. If not, then get a plumber in.

This page has all the alternatives for stopcocks.

brass stopcocks, surestop, and lever ball valves like the PN25 which I would use. All are available from any supplier.

You choose the best position for it, cut about a centimeter of pipe out and put the valve in the pipe. (After draining the pipework)

HTH

[David Hansen]

On 1 Feb 2007 02:06:42 -0800 someone who may be "Gilz" wrote this:-

Easy as long as you know how to make a compression joint and have the tools for this, the tools are only the right spanners. There should be a book on plumbing in your library that will show you how to assemble one, if you have never done it before.

Remember to fit it the right way round, there is an arrow on the body which indicates the direction water should flow through the valve. If you don't get it the right way round the valve will provably leak a little when it should be shut.

While you are at it, fit a drain c*ck just on "your" side of the stop c*ck. This will allow the mains pipes inside your flat to be drained easily if it is necessary to work on them.

[Jim Alexander]

Couple of things that have not been mentioned. There is probably a stop c*ck in the street somewhere, probably in the street nearest the neighbours stop c*ck. Have a look for a small cast iron cover near the house, but it could equally well be in a back street.

You need to identify the bore of the copper pipe used which may depend on when the flats were converted and how well. If done within the last 30 years or so will probably be 22mm. If earlier probably 3/4". This is important as there is a slight size difference in the compression olive. It's also possible that the pipe may be only 15mm/ 1/2" since a 100 year old supply is probably only that size. When was the conversion done?

Someone else mentioned Toolstation. If you need to buy spanners buy a couple of Toolstation P/N 62263. Much easier than using adjustables.

Good luck

Jim A

[Stuart Noble]

And if there isn't (or it isn't working), the water company will usually fit one for free.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|>> The house i live in was built over 100 years ago, it was converted |>> into two flats and mine is the upper flat. |>>

|>> The flat was renovated before i bought it and has new grey type piping |>> under the bath etc but old copper pipe everywhere else. |>>

|>> I have one problem, there isn't a stop c*ck in my property. The |>> stopcock is the flat downstairs. |>>

|>> This is obviously not suitable for cases of emergency etc. |>>

|>> If my neighbour switches off the water, how easy is it to fit a new |>> stop c*ck in my flat? |>>

|>> Can this be done as a diy job or will i require a plumber? |>>

|> Couple of things that have not been mentioned. There is probably a stop |> c*ck in the street somewhere, probably in the street nearest the neighbours |> stop c*ck. | |And if there isn't (or it isn't working), the water company will usually |fit one for free.

ROTFL I complained about a seized stopcock and waited. still waiting years later.

[Stuart Noble]

Last time I rang Thames Water to turn off someone's supply, they came within 24 hours. They couldn't find the stopcock so came back a couple of days later and fitted a new one. Neat little job and no tools required to operate it

[the_constructor]

I called Northumbrian Water because we couldn't find a stop c*ck in the house, later found it, and the stop c*ck in the street needed a special tool to turn it off/on. They arrived within 20 minutes and turned the water off for us and also provided us with the tool for future use. All FREE of charge.

[Lobster]

I had to connect new 15mm copper tube to old last week while re-piping a house, just where it came out of the internal stop c*ck (I made the connection using a drain valve to kill two birds with one stone). I'm pretty sure the old pipe will have been 0.5" which did worry me bit, but I just used an ordinary modern 15mm fitting (with PTFE on the thread). Seems to have worked OK. Are there 15mm -> 0.5" adapters available or is what I've done 'standard' procedure?

David

[Dave Liquorice]

Putting stuff on the thread is a waste of time and materials the seal is not made there. The seal is between the olive and the pipe and the olive and the fitting seat.

No because modern 15mm OD tube is the same size as old 1/2" ID or at least close enough not to be a problem. 22mm OD and 3/4" ID is another matter though.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|On Fri, 02 Feb 2007 07:55:01 GMT, Lobster wrote: | |> I just used an ordinary modern 15mm fitting (with PTFE on the thread). | |Putting stuff on the thread is a waste of time and materials the seal is |not made there. The seal is between the olive and the pipe and the olive |and the fitting seat. | |> Are there 15mm -> 0.5" adapters available | |No because modern 15mm OD tube is the same size as old 1/2" ID or at |least close enough not to be a problem. 22mm OD and 3/4" ID is another |matter though.

Only works with Compression fittings. There are solder, end feed and yorkshire, adaptors still available, Try a plumbers merchant rather than a shed.