Stop cock issue.

[jigman1]

The house I live in has a stop cock that operates on less than 1 full turn to supply cold water to the house.This causes issues when people have showers and someone turns a cold tap on eleswhere in the house resulting in a drop in pressure.Can I open the stop cock say another turn to prevent this or should I leave it alone in other words is it set on less than 1 turn open for a reason?

[redman41]

There is not enough water pressure so open the Tap more so that enough water is available everywhere in the House at all times.

[Old_Geezer]

Are you choosing to open it less than one turn, or is the tap stuck ? One would normally turn the top until reaching the end stop (and maybe just turn back a bit from there to avoid sticking).

It may need a plumber to replace it ?

If the tap is fully open after less than a turn, then your problem may be mains pressure. Ar you at the top of a large hill ?

[buildersmate]

In hard water areas, it is good practice to turn the stop valve about half a turn (as OG says) from the maximum 'on' position (typically anticlockwise to get fully 'on').
The reason for this is that it dissuades limescale from gumming up the valve.
Otherwise, I can think of no reason not to have the valve wide open.

[jigman1]

Thank you all for your answers. I will open up the stop cock and check for flow issues from sinks and basins and turn down to suit.

[scotman]

I agree with BM and Doc. Open the valve as far as it will go then turn it about 1/4 turn closed again. If you leave a typical brass construction valve hard open it will jam.

[heathfield]

Small diameter piping will also restrict the flow when more than one outlet is turned on. In our house, fitted throughout with 15mm pipes, we tell others not to do any washing up, or start the washing machine, when anyone's going to have a shower.

[heathfield]

Goodness me!! I've just realised that there are no Editor's asterisks in this question!!