WHere is the stop valve for kitchen water

[kitemonkey]

I can't find it!

I live in an 1890 vicy terrace and the pipe from the cold tap goes into the wall. I've turned off the water to the bathroom and the kitchen hot but can't find the cold!

Ta

[kitemonkey]

wow 13 views in only 3 minutes! And no-one knows! Or are at this very second under the kitchen sink ;)

Alternatively would you know how I can remove the tap and reinstall it after removing the sink unit without turning off the water?

Ta again

[Alec John Moore]

We're such a helpful bunch on EDF. In my experience of Victorian houses the cold water pipe come in under the front door to the basement. I think you mentioned your cellar in another post. It may still be a lead pipe that is then connected to a copper one that will feed you water and heating systems if you've got both of those. There should be a tap there or thereabouts. Sometimes a plumber will helpfully install a joint that has an "inline" stop cock, if you like, in the pipework that leads to the taps. You will need a screwdriver to turn this a 90 degrees and then you can remove the tap beyond that. Hope that helps. Yours in DIY, Alec

[kitemonkey]

Ah yes there is a pipe leading up from the basement to under the stairs with a tap on it.. I'll have a go at that. There is also another pipe going upwards, just next to the front door. I'll have a go at that too! It just looked too thin to be a water pipe but I'm a newbie to all this. I thought it might have been gas. Thanks and wish me luck ;)

[DJKillaQueen]

It won't be gas if it's thinner but it may be an old rising mains pipe if you have or had a tank in your loft.

[kitemonkey]

Mmm... can't turn one of them off I need spinach.

Actually the house was 2 flats, we've just bought the bottom one (already own the top) and re-converting. So, we have 2 sets of waterworks (1 tank and boiler downstairs the other set in the loft).

[DJKillaQueen]

Gently warm the tap with a hairdryer and see if that will shift it. Also, when you open the taps up again, turn them back a quarter turn once opened (helps to stop them seizing in future.

[kitemonkey]

Thanks. I've got one closed off - by the front door, and that has shut off upstairs. The other one still won't shift after hairdryering. I tapped it a couple times with the hammer and water starting leaking where the pipe came out of the lower half of the tap peice. Tightenning the nut stopped that.

Can I hit it hard with the hammer, making sure I support the pipping (it's kinda free and wobbly as there is a dogleg, and now shudders if I don't support it with a peice of wood)? Or am I in danger of breaking the tap?

[DJKillaQueen]

I wouldn't hit it directly with a hammer......use something like a basin wrench and try turning it with that, wedging the tap head in the wrench gives extra leverage to put weight on. If you hit it with a hammer you risk breaking the tap altogether or cracking any solder...never a good idea and especially not when it's your main stop tap to the house!

[kitemonkey]

oops! Ok hammer is away now. The shuddering continues. Double oops. Is it possible I could break it with a basin wrench also? I'm hoping if it all goes Pete tong I just need to go outside and into the small metal lid saying water and I'll be able to turn it all off from there.... How about oil or something would that help? Or only when I've actually managed to turn it I guess for future turnings

[KidKruger]

Don't bang valves unless absolute last resort and you're set-up to deal with leaks that may result (at main pressure).

You won't be able to turn off the water from the street unless you have a stopcock key (assuming it's not a modern house which sounds the case given the flat conversion you mentioned) or a ratchet set from a car with long spacer.

[DJKillaQueen]

It's possible but unlikely. All you are doing with the basin wrench is trying to turn the tap with extra leverage. It will turn eventually but the idea of heating the tap is to loosen anything that is seizing the thread. You can try oil and wd40 but they won't really get into the thread unless it turns. I'd persavere with the hairdryer and wrench. It will turn eventually.

[kitemonkey]

Cheers for the ongoing help !

The mains outside was just a tap so that was fine. I lost my rag with the hot kitchen sink tap and cut through the pipe it with a hacksaw (which broke :(

I got a basin wrench but that was no help for the bolts under the sink. The hot turned eventually with a spanner and a bizarre angle, but it kept turning and turning along with the tap, but didn't come off. It was like the thread on the pipe was not a helix but just a never ending circle! That's when I hit the roof.

The basin wrench unstuck the pipe leading to the kitchen cold tap. However, it turned afew times clockwise, came to a stop, but didn't stop the water flow (I think it reduced it a bit but that could be my imagination).

So big fat bllocks for my DIY day this is why I hate it - you have to get to a certain level of knowledge and tool aquirement to do anything it seems!

Shall I call it a day do you think guys!?

[KidKruger]

No, Keep Calm and Carry On.

You will have successes too. They will balance the tough times. It's not an intellectual thing, DIY. Just some perseverance. Only experience of doing it will teach you.

[kitemonkey]

ta !

short on patience and successes :(

I wonder if the cold is feed from a tank, and what I need to do is empty the tank....

[DJKillaQueen]

KK is right. DIY is not rocket science.....just patience and the right tools. Taps are notorious for seizing is they haven't been turned in a while. You'll get there.

If you are changing taps - you might want to put a couple of isolation valves under the sink running up to them anyway (standard now in plumbing refits). They are easy to fit and mean if you ever need to repair the taps you can just turn off the water there.

[kitemonkey]

Cheers. I'm actually stripping out the kitchen so these pipes are gonna be history soon anyway (as sink is going elsewhere). I managed to turn the pipe tap 3ish turns clockwise until it came to a stop but no help. Do you think I need to keep turning it, or somet is broken inside (can this happen?). Yes I imagine this tap hasn't been turned in about 35 years (when the conversion was done to make 2 flats).

[Loz]

Why do I suspect this thread is going to end with '... and does anyone know the number for an emergency swimming instructor"?

[DJKillaQueen]

LOL Loz.....

It's probably just limed up, after years of not being turned. It's possible to remove the spindle by turning the gland nut anti-clockwise) and try and clean it but you need to be able to shut the supply off leading to it. If you can't turn it off elsewhere you can use a pipe freezing kit (costs about a tenner from screwfix). That'll freeze the inlet supply for about 30 mins giving you time to dismantle the stop tap and see if it can be cleaned to work.

[kitemonkey]

Ha yes I kept my mobile in my pocket with thames water number pre dialled just in case!

Yup there is green powdery stuff all over the shop guessing that is the lime then. If I could just turn off the water I'd simple cut through the piping (after buying a new hacksaw).

Thanks for all the help

[HAL9000]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's probably just limed up, after years of not

> being turned. It's possible to remove the spindle

> by turning the gland nut anti-clockwise) and try

> and clean it but you need to be able to shut the

> supply off leading to it. If you can't turn it off

> elsewhere you can use a pipe freezing kit (costs

> about a tenner from screwfix). That'll freeze the

> inlet supply for about 30 mins giving you time to

> dismantle the stop tap and see if it can be

> cleaned to work.

You are Gina "Corky" Gershon and I claim my five pounds!

[DJKillaQueen]

HA HA good one Hal :)) ........without Jennifer Tilly in tow of course!

[HAL9000]

Sigh - those two are the stuff that naughty dreams are made of :)

[Annette Curtain]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> LOL Loz.....

>

> It's probably just limed up, after years of not

> being turned. It's possible to remove the spindle

> by turning the gland nut anti-clockwise) and try

> and clean it but you need to be able to shut the

> supply off leading to it. If you can't turn it off

> elsewhere you can use a pipe freezing kit (costs

> about a tenner from screwfix). That'll freeze the

> inlet supply for about 30 mins giving you time to

> dismantle the stop tap and see if it can be

> cleaned to work.

Is anyone else finding this quite arousing ?

* fans self *

Nette.::o

[DJKillaQueen]

I do own a pair of overalls........anyway moving swiftly on............!