Any plumbers about? Replacing stop tap

[Mark A]

Hi,

Just had Dynarod round as our stop tap has been leaking under our sink for a while now and has destroyed the kitchen cabinet. Apparently the stop tap isn't covered under our plumbing insurance and he said it would cost £105 to fix it .

He said It would be easy enough to do it myself and I could buy the stop tap for £40 +vat. Which still seems very expensive for a small metal tap.

Had a look on screwfix and the 25x15 poly stop tap costs £5 here. So not sure if they're the correct taps, or just crap quality.

Will the £5 taps from screwfix be ok? and was the guy trying to rip me off charging £40 for one?

TIA

 

[ron3003]

Looks just like ours under the sink and yes it would be easy to replace yourself ONLY IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO TURN OFF THE SUPPLY TO THE HOUSE FROM OUTSIDE
If you are metered then there's going to be a tap down the hole the meter is in. If on the other hand there's no way to isolate the supply elsewhere then the polypipe will need to be frozen using special equipment for the time it takes to replace the leaky tap.

 

[Mark A]

Thanks. Yeah, he showed me where to isolate the water, although I already knew. Going to go out in a minute and make sure I dont need a special tool and that its not seized or anything. Also not on a meter, the pipe just goes straight into the stop tap.

I could just do with someone who knows about plumbing confirming that that stop tap is the right item that I need. Its that fact he quoted us £40 to buy one and the only ones I can find on the net are £5. He was either trying to rip me off or I'm looking at the wrong stop taps.

The pipe coming up through the floor into the stop tap is blue and then it changes to 15mm copper pipe. I'm pretty sure the item I linked to in screwfix is what I need. Could just do with someone to confirm.

 

[bledd]

this is what I'd do..

put a tube on the end of the new tap and route it into the sink.

get a recycling bag (the clear green or orange ones) and hold it underneath the old tap.

close the old tap, remove the 'closed' end and ensure the old tap is the same size and that the tubes will fit.

set the new tap to open, and put the temporary tubing into the sink

remove the tap and quickly whack the new one on, catching all the water in the bin bag, then close the tap and fit it back to the old tubing.



-when removing the old tubing, you'll have a backlog of water coming back through it, so either catch this with a tube or more bin bags

 

[jamief]

this is what I'd do..

put a tube on the end of the new tap and route it into the sink.

get a recycling bag (the clear green or orange ones) and hold it underneath the old tap.

close the old tap, remove the 'closed' end and ensure the old tap is the same size and that the tubes will fit.

set the new tap to open, and put the temporary tubing into the sink

remove the tap and quickly whack the new one on, catching all the water in the bin bag, then close the tap and fit it back to the old tubing.



-when removing the old tubing, you'll have a backlog of water coming back through it, so either catch this with a tube or more bin bags

Why not just turn off the supply outside? That sounds like an utter bodge, and depending on the water pressure it could be impossible to stop the flow by hand.

Remember and turn your boiler off before turning the outside supply off.

 

[bledd]

ah, I only read the first post, didn't see the part about turning off the supply outside

 

[Mark A]

Anyone able to confirm that:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/74290...m;jsessionid=3NC20BKBJ0QEUCSTHZOCFFA?ts=04746

Is the correct part I'll need? I can get a picture of the existing one if needed.

Also just had a look at the water shutoff and i'll be needing a universal stopcock key. I just assumed it would be a lever lol.

 

[~>Dg<~]

very weird this thread as someone has just finished doing my one and the tap out side was broke so had to get severn trent out to fix that first

 

[Mark A]

I need to order before 6pm to get next day delivery. If someone could just tell me the part I'll need, that would be great. It might seem obvious but I'm just not sure if this is the correct part that can be fixed onto a plastic mains pipe.

I know what's going to happen. As soon as I order the part someone will post in the thread to tell me I've ordered the wrong part, it always happens .

 

[bushmins]

That tap will do as long as you pipes are 25mm pipe to 15mm pipe. Do you not have a B&Q or Homebase, Wiks etc... near you? They will all have them.

Its compression fit tap so its nice and easy, just dont over tighten it. If you shut your water down from the street for gods sake make sure its completly off i.e. turn the kitchen taps on and see if anything comes out. If it doesnt turn off then you will need the council to sort the outside main stop ****.

 

[lookitsjonno]

If you shut your water down from the street for gods sake make sure its completly off i.e. turn the kitchen taps on and see if anything comes out. If it doesnt turn off then you will need the council to sort the outside main stop ****.

good advice, mains water leak =

do you not have a screwfix near you, go and look it it yourself, or as above go to B&Q.

 

[RiPz]

to quote a plumber friend of mine:

"careful turning the tap off at the street, some are loops off the main line, some are not (they should all be, but cost cutting overruled safety back in the day), turning off one that is not a loop can cause too much pressure on the main line and blow it - then you are up a murky creek without a paddle"

also - check that it's just your house, and not the entire row of houses, don't want to **** the neighbors off and have them report no water to the board, because i don't think you're *supposed* to be allowed to turn them off in the street without permission off the supplier.

get a can of pipe freeze instead and freeze the main into your house, it's safer. (imo)

 

[Mark A]

That tap will do as long as you pipes are 25mm pipe to 15mm pipe. Do you not have a B&Q or Homebase, Wiks etc... near you? They will all have them.

Its compression fit tap so its nice and easy, just dont over tighten it. If you shut your water down from the street for gods sake make sure its completly off i.e. turn the kitchen taps on and see if anything comes out. If it doesnt turn off then you will need the council to sort the outside main stop ****.

Thanks . Sorted the outside stopcock, its actually just a tap and I can just reach it. So don't need a universal key. It turns easily and I turned it off so there was no water coming out of the tap.

I can't believe he was going to try and charge us £110 . If I can manage it then I've done the same job for £5.

Regarding B&Q, I had a look on their website and they only do 15-15mm and 25-25mm. Couldn't find a 25-15mm. Same for Focus.

I'd rater just order from Screwfix anyway as there a few other items I need to order, so get free next day delivery.

 

[Mark A]

get a can of pipe freeze instead and freeze the main into your house, it's safer. (imo)

Its a plastic pipe and 25mm thick, not sure that would work? Also wouldn't want it to split the pipe as then I would be screwed.

I turned the water off at the street for a good few mins to test and it seemed fine. I'll just get everything prepared then swap it as quickly as possible.

Its a bit worrying to know it could possible burst the mains though .