Help - cold water tap in kitchen stopped working

[emc]

My DIY book says to check that the main stop tap is open - but have no idea where that is...have looked under my sink/underneath boiler but cannot see it. Any DIYers or plumbers out there who could tell me where it might be?

ta

[louisiana]

Taps working anywhere else or all water off?

Do your neighbours have water?

[DJKillaQueen]

If the water stopped running without you doing anything then the problem won't be the main stop tap. Are you in a flat or house?

[emc]

Hi there

Am in a house...all the other taps are working, all the neighbours are fine.

It did happen after a plumber had paid a visit for something else so wondering if he turned somethin off by acciden. I can't get hold of him at the moment.

[computedshorty]

The Water tap in the kitchen is normally stright from the main supply so is drinkable, If you flush the toilet that will be from a storage tank in a loft. If you have access to other parts of the house look for a leak it will be a big one if no water comes from your tap.

If a shared building somebody else might have turned off all supplies to the building to work on their system.

Most likely the road main is out of service. Have a look in the road for water.

[computedshorty]

What did the plumber do? What was the problem?

If he changed a washer he would have had to turn off the water valve either under sink or in the pavement in the front of house.

You might find a stop valve in the cellar.

It is very unuseual for a qualified plumber to leave without testing the tap for running water befor leaving.

If he charges for the Callout then there is your answer pay again for the extra Callout.

[DJKillaQueen]

Yes I would get the plumber back (at no charge). It's most likely turned off from the outside, or if you follow the main water pipes you will find a tap in the cellar just inside the external wall. If you do find a stop tap to turn on, when you've opened it fully, close it again with a quarter of a turn (it stop's the tap seizing).

[woofmarkthedog]

Hmmm..

Look under the sink & follow the cold pipe , it sounds like it may be one of these, turn the slotted screw part 90 degrees

http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Images/DB_Detail/_88993__184170__.jpg Isolation valve

It should work, if not the mains isolation tap elsewhere

W**F

[Tarot]

It mat be turned off in the loft, if he went up there. Emergency plumber needed.

[KidKruger]

if you've got water in some cold taps but not in others then it's probably not your main cock under the sink / in the hall.

there is likely some routing of cold water to the sink where your problem tap is and along that route there is likely a valve as shown in earlier thread, or with a wheel to turn to open/close the valve.

perhaps the plumber closed such a valve.

if it's an isolation valve as per the picture you can use a screwdriver or 5p coin.

if you know where your pipes are (start with the easiest accessible areas) then start looking for the valve.

Computed - not all bathrooms are fed from a tank in the loft but yes it is usual !

good luck !!

maybe tell us how you sort it...

[emc]

Hello all

thanks so much for all the replies and advice - in the end I suddenly remembered that I'd been given a six month free coverplan thingie by Thames Water when I had a water meter installed recently, so called them and it was still valid to 20th of this month. So a guy came on Sunday, changed the spindle and washer (for good measure) in tap and is now working fine and all for free!...really appreciate all the advice though, wish I was a bit more technical.

Cheers

EMC