Clark Drain CD880 140mm x 115mm x 75mm Stop Tap Stopcock Cover/lid PVC Locking Surround Box

Product Information

You can try gently using a spanner to get leverage, but it is easy to snap the spindle, at which point the stop tap will need replacing in its entirety. Mark cautioned: ‘Too much torque from a spanner can twist the spindle like toffee, as it’s made from brass.’ The external stop tap, is often located near the boundary of a premises under a small cover, about the size of a CD case. If you have a water meter, it will generally be located in the same pit or chamber as the meter. If it appears to be made of a plastic type material it may only require a quarter of a turn to turn off the water. When the lever is in line with the pipe it is on and when across the pipe it is off.

The external valve controls the flow from the water main that serves your street to the supply pipe into your house.In an emergency, your local water company guarantee to come out within 24 hours. However, this is more than long enough for a leak within your property to create some serious damage. Make sure you are aware of the location of your internal stop tap, you may need it in an emergency. Mark told us: ‘An old-fashioned stop tap that hasn’t been turned for a couple of years is unlikely to work, in which case you’ll have to get the Water Board out. They will have to fix the stop tap in the road before you can do anything in the house.’

Turning off an old-style stop tap from the street may also turn off the water to neighbouring properties. If this is the case, it’s only fair to let them know what’s going on and how long the water is likely to be off for. We all have a list of things to do around the home that we may or may not get round to. Filing paperwork, sorting out the linen cupboard and in all likelihood, testing your stop tap is on that list too. The problem is, while not being able to find a record of your accounts or your towels being in a mess might be annoying, failing to test your stop tap can be disastrous. If the T-bar handle is across the pipe, this should mean the mains are shut. If it’s in line with the pipe, the mains should be open.

If a stop tap has seized up, it’s probably scaled up and full of debris, rather than rusty. Plumbing parts are made of non-ferrous metals, such as brass or copper, so they corrode and scale up rather than rust. See our Which? Trusted traders’ tips on how to deal with a burst pipe. Prevention is better than cure If you’ve got a plumbing problem, you can find a Which? Trusted Traders endorsed plumber in your area. How many stop taps in your home? The diagram below shows the typical pipework at most homes and who is responsible for maintaining it.

If in doubt, call in a plumber who will advise you on whether it’s possible to fix it or replace it. You can find an endorsed plumber in your local area with Which? Trusted Traders. Can you turn off the water from the street? EasyMerchant’s stop tap chamber box is a solid construction utilised to house a stop tap, usually outside of construction limits, and it’ll keep any water system protected from contaminants while giving you easy access if it’s required. Once installed, the lid is the only part that will be visible. This kit includes four things manufactured in polypropylene. The foundation, the shield pipe, the support collar and a surface box badged H20. The Stop Tap Install Kit was created with a base to match the large assortment different of 25mm and 32mm water stop taps; the service shield pipe is 150mm in diameter, and along with the support collar, has secure fixings for the Quad surface box (badged WATER). These kits have been supplied to most of the water utility companies in the UK for many years. All items available separately. You'll usually get to a point where you can’t turn it anymore. You shouldn’t use force to turn it further.

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Even a simple plumbing job, such as changing a tap on a sink, becomes more complicated and more costly if you’re unable to shut off the water effectively within your home. Put the new compression nuts over the pipe ends and slide them along out of the way. Put a new olive on each pipe end and position the valve. You can use a little PTFE tape around the olives to ensure a good seal – not on the compression thread which is a fairly common mistake. Without isolation valves or a working stop tap, your plumber may need to drain the entire system before making any repairs. This takes time and, as plumbers often charge by the hour, often means higher charges. On the plus side, once your system is drained, it’s a great opportunity to install new isolation valves or a new stop tap.