Jokes1 min ago
Seized stopcock
I have not been able to turn off my stopcock for the past few years. It is not the main stopcock, but the one just inside the kitchen wall that operates the flow to an outside tap. I always wrap this tap up in winter but would prefer to turn the water off at the stocpcock in case of severe frost.
I have been spraying WD40 regularly where it should turn but nothing happens. I would like to free it myself without having to pay a plumber. Any tips would be appreciated. I always do a half turn clockwise after I have turned my main stopcock on so I would probably have done so on this one when I last turned it on. As the outside tap drips very slowly, I think I ought to get this sorted out before this winter.
I have been spraying WD40 regularly where it should turn but nothing happens. I would like to free it myself without having to pay a plumber. Any tips would be appreciated. I always do a half turn clockwise after I have turned my main stopcock on so I would probably have done so on this one when I last turned it on. As the outside tap drips very slowly, I think I ought to get this sorted out before this winter.
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I expect it is an old one (50 plus years) but I am worried about using pliers or wrenches in case something snaps and I have to turn my water off at the main stopcock. I am amazed that WD40 is the wrong stuff to use. I will try something else but may have left it too late for that to be effective as the thing has been doused in the WD40.
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Buy a new stopcock that has the correct thread, buy some ptfe thread tape, turn off your main stopcock and replace the faulty stopcock with a new one. If you break the old one trying to free it you will have to turn off your water supply until you can get a replacement, which could be very inconvenient. They only cost a fiver or so.
Right Starry. It's really stuck down then? Even if you wrench it free from its seat, it'll probably never shut off again.
You'll need to go out to the pavement and turn off the Water Company's valve. Might be an old-fashioned one like yours, or a newer quarter turn type (probably plastic).
If you're not confident enough to remove the whole stopcock complete with backnuts and olives .......... then leave them on the pipe......... wrap a few turns of PTFE tape around the olives, and just fit the new valve body part only.
The threads should be standard 1/2" BSP, just like the new ones.
You'll need to go out to the pavement and turn off the Water Company's valve. Might be an old-fashioned one like yours, or a newer quarter turn type (probably plastic).
If you're not confident enough to remove the whole stopcock complete with backnuts and olives .......... then leave them on the pipe......... wrap a few turns of PTFE tape around the olives, and just fit the new valve body part only.
The threads should be standard 1/2" BSP, just like the new ones.
Well maybe not ..
It's after the rising main stopcock .. which should be there to turn off somewhere.
Get a spare replacement .. and try freeing the head first with some pipe grips. Just a wriggle back and forwards first. It will be brass .. and seizes because of minute deposits in the shaft/guide space.
It's after the rising main stopcock .. which should be there to turn off somewhere.
Get a spare replacement .. and try freeing the head first with some pipe grips. Just a wriggle back and forwards first. It will be brass .. and seizes because of minute deposits in the shaft/guide space.
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