YOUR MAINS WATER STOPCOCK - HOW THEY WORK - FIXING LEAKS - Plumbing Tips

How your mains water stopcock or valve works. How to fix leaks or undo if they are seized. We also cover how to replace the washer and re-seat the valve.
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[@plumberparts]

*Links to the tools I use everyday here:* www.amazon.co.uk/shop/plumberparts Plus, follow my *Vlog “TimesWithJames”:* kzbin.info

[@amosmicah6140]

You prolly dont care but if you are stoned like me atm you can watch all of the latest series on Instaflixxer. Have been watching with my girlfriend lately xD

[@ahmadronald6389]

@Amos Micah Definitely, I have been watching on instaflixxer for since december myself =)

[@stephenmatura1086]

Thank goodness for videos like this. I had a leaky gland which (I have now learned) needed simply tightening up. Saved me a load of time and effort working it out. Thank you.

[@avtardisange4569]

Well done, a great video, i like it a lot, informative, fun, and i have learned so much, my stopcock was leaking, put some ptfe tape around the gland, and from full position turned it back a quarter of a turn. What i find is that if you use the stopcock often, to open it, it loosens the gland nut, as it is the same away to loosen it. then you might get a drip. Plumbing is hard work, and they earn every penny, especially for a DIY person, there are many DIY people who have to call a pro out, like this guy. These tips can help to prevent, a lot of problems. Thank you. Avtar Coventry

[@MrMonty]

Hey there ***** just wanted to say thank you on your vids, im a second year apprentice from melbourne australia and have been watching your videos since day one and will continue watching long after i am qualified ☺💚

[@smollande]

This video helped me understand that the stopcock was made of many parts fitted together. My handle moved but water did not flow. I kept turning it on and off for a good ten minutes and was on the verge of hiring a plumber under I discovered that the handle itself was turning, but the shaft it was attached to wasnt. I put some masking tape on the shaft for grip, and then clamped on a vise grip. It eorked! Turned out that some imbecile had designed a screw on handle for the stopcock. ❤ great video this.

[@jeremyharris246]

Thank you SO much. Just a little turn of the end nut and leak sorted. Relief!!

[@littlewhitebear89]

Thank you for sharing the knowledge. I am having issues with this type of stopcock for our main pipe. Gonna fix this tomorrow 🤗👍

[@derrickt9856]

Thank you for the thorough explanation. I saved few hundreds bucks after watching this video. Thumb up to you!

[@jonbartlett9438]

Thank you, your video has saved me a lot of money, leaking stopcock now fixed.

[@FinnMacCuhl]

Sat here on a Sunday morning with a flooded kitchen floor - and now I know how to fix it in less than 7 minutes. No messing. Thanks

[@electricmeatpuppet]

Thanking you! Just saved a huge headache, such a relief.

[@MegaMissfitz]

Lucky you foamy! ive had no mains water in the town for the last few hours! Im aiming to be squeeky clean tomorrow for you hopefully! Dirty dreams 👍🤭👍

[@wildobeast1472]

Thought that was a really useful video. Keep up the good work

[@MRBP3D]

Sweet. Tried shutting water off and mine is seized. It then started leaking slightly. Fixed that by tighten the gland by the tap. Just need to make time to replace the whole stopcock now. Great video

[@DarylLewis]

This video was a great help to this complete novice. Cheers mate.

[@999fugazi]

My last plumber left me with a leaking stop tap following the last job. It was a simple job to nip up the tap, like you advised, to stop the weeping. Wont be getting him back in... thank you

[@bawling2010]

james youre a legend mate! thanks for all your vids

[@davecollin9290]

You know when you REALLY need to find specific information and the first video you watch nails it? This is that video. Thanks!

[@dharmindesai2519]

Thanks for the information, who knew it would be such an easy fix.

[@waawi2514]

Very useful. Precise n informative. Thank you very much. I just changed my bathroom stockcock. But i noticed the water flow became slower. What is the problem? Should I change to new stockcock? Would appreciate your reply. Thanking u in advanced

[@carlosliomar]

Great video, helped a lot! All the best, mate.

[@eduardoocampoc]

Thanks buddy. Just fixed mine with this video.

[@Storytimewithgitte]

Like your videos, makes me want to try them out myself 🤣 well I wish I could, but thanks for the tips. How many of you watch this video, pause it and do what he says? xx

[@Rockstars-Gig-Memorabilia]

What a brilliant video..wish me luck..thank you !!

[@EppingForest304]

really useful video, thank you.

[@ikeelickios185]

OMG!!!! THANK YOU!!!! I JUST FIXED MINE..

[@ashvanbro9329]

Another great vid by the man himself

[@gerfome]

Very good , informative video, thank you.

[@liamdaynes9435]

Cheers fella you've helped me out loads

[@ryujiyamazaki583]

Man! This guy is a G! Thanx for the amazing video 💪

[@georgelumsden6696]

Thanks for the information, I'll give it a try but mine has been in for over 60 years first time its leaked 👍😊

[@andrewm3961]

Thanks, this helped me fix a leaking gland.

[@paulharrison8612]

Cheers buddy....I'm onto it👍

[@passiton3801]

Brilliant! Very informative...

[@chrisobrien5112]

Some great tips thank you

[@abusiddiqui2341]

Thank you. wonderful video :)

[@oliverhill113]

Many thanks. You're a star.👍

[@ArifulIslam-jy1pp]

Love this thank you.

[@kibriakhan90]

Great video 👍🏽

[@dannykimble7671]

Nice tips it I’ve got opposite problem, I turned my hot supply from storage tank off (for a reason which I’ve sorted) but won’t turn back on, I suspect the washer has come off & stuck on the seat, only low pressure & not enough to lift washer off again I think. I’ll keep trying & bashing it. O dear.

[@heriothandyman3148]

Spot on mate.

[@nedayektapour9377]

Hiya, thanks for your video; my problem is the other way around; the valve starts leaking when fully opened, so we have to open it till halfway so there is not enough water pressure upstairs. Could you advise me on that, please?

[@russrua2937]

Is it possible to extend the blue water mains pipe before the stop-cock, so that it sits comfortably in the kitchen cabinet ? Had several issues with it not being high enough, so had to cut into carcass to get enough room to turn off water easily.

[@jo2oxla]

This is a great video, but I have 3 taps under my sink. I cant turn any of them and don't really know why there are 3. One is right by the meter and the other 2 look like this with pipes either end !! So really wouldn't know which one to choose, to change it. I was advised to use the one outside.

[@iltx3coAAAA]

That simple twist to fix the leak saved me a hundred pound minumum :)

[@Clifford11998866]

Easy fix nice one

[@stevenr560]

I’ve got a very very slow weeping gland nut but the problem is the stopcock is boxed in I can get just get to the nut but worried about trying to tighten it as I can’t get a grip on any pipes. Should I go ahead and tighten it or do I run the risk of flexing the pipe and ending up with bigger problems. Don’t really want to have to break open the boxing

[@richardlewis5316]

For a DIY plumber opening the screw thread to expose the washer is a risky exercise as it will inevitable be stuck. Wrenching it open is likely to cause a leak in the incoming lead pipe. Even undoing it when in a copper pipe can damage pipes. A stop tap costs about £8 so just replace it.

[@aryehelectricalltd7247]

what's do you recommend for cold water main gate valve or stopcock ?

[@truebluehill16rep]

Would you also fit a stranger down stream to catch any dirt coming into household

[@VS-dr9is]

Hi. I need help to release the pressure from the stop cork inside the bathroom as there is barely any water coming from the taps. When I opened the whole thing water gushed out after fixing it back still no water to the sink. Any ideas? Thank you

[@MJ83MJ]

Legend!!!

[@Gerr.i]

quick question? what is the procedure if you need to have your main water supply stopcock/valve needs replacing? who do i need to ring to shut the water supply to the building?

[@tyleroyd8586]

hey just sayin thanks for the help!

[@Steve-th9ds]

Hi my stop tap has open but stuck so can’t be closed to do maintenance question is do I need a drain key to close the main valve and or can it be done with my hand as it’s quite deep in a UK one Thanks

[@NanoTouring]

Thanks u sir..

[@paulm1162]

Hi, I live in a converted railway siding and my stop cock is in the drive underwater (not even the usual tool is any good to turn it, so made my own out of a length of wood with a groove cut in it),. Is there any way I could put a stop cock indoors or at least more convenient place, part of the problem is locating the main water supply pipe coming to the house.

[@mantasjaskevicius1385]

Thanks 👍

[@myytchannel8078]

Top vid once again James! Quick question what's your thought on the surestop switch valves..my old stopcock although was turning the water off, it kept spinning..so my plumber replaced it with it surestop, therefore no manual tap function at all..however since then we seem to be experiencing issue with water pressure especially when the washing machine or dishwasher is on..what's your thoughts and experience of them?..I'm about to tell my plumber to replace ot with a conventional stopcock..

[@simoncorby4802]

Been nice if they had bothered replying ,oh well.

[@HereIsWhatISaw]

I have a blue plastic tap with a red button on it, in a cupboard near my kitchen sink. Is it a stopcock and what's the red button for?

[@mr.dahliaking.202]

As I wrote in my previous comment, I had a trouble with my stopcock, but I fixed it (hell it was) and now I am remaking all plumbing in my house, and what I found made me laugh my ass off - I found cold pipe that run below the ground where the toilet was, and the plumber back then probably ran out of tees, so he used a STOPCOCK body as a tee for a toilet pipe :D how redicilous is that?

[@stevetatman5044]

What can I do if I turn off isolation valve and it leaks but cannot find the the main stopcock

[@icey1969]

great vid!!!

[@zelouq6058]

you smell you pirate

[@zelouq6058]

big forehead

[@jimmatrix7244]

What causes the water meter to run fast? The second last and last digits whizzes. Sick and tired of high water bills.

[@_______DR_______]

Is it considered acceptable to use a 1/4 turn full bore lever valve for mains supply isolation?

[@dennisphoenix1]

Yes you can . There was a change a few years ago to allow lever valves as stop valves in place of a stop tap .

[@snapdragogon69]

In my last house it was some kind of gate that had a lever you moved 90 degrees. It was much better. Might have been called a ball valve?

[@kaigamble5609]

yeah.

[@markrainford1219]

Technical explanation "Your rubber washer isn't very happy". LOL

[@Replevideo]

My problem is that the stop cock is in the downstairs cloakroom, but there is no stopcock outside. I live in a courtyard and none of the houses or flats have outside stopcocks, or if they had, they have been tarmacked over, which seems unlikely because I don't believe the yard has ever been resurfaced since they were built in 1976. Could I stop the water with one of those freezing kits?

[@halstirrup]

can you use them for hot water . do you see an issue with that. many thanks

[@plumberparts]

+Hal Stirrup No, should be fine! Please sub >> kzbin.info

[@callumgreig2379]

Hi James. When loosening the gland to wrap PTFE below for packing. Can I leave the stopcock open or does it have to be closed?

[@guido7412]

The stopcock needs to be open, otherwise you wont have sufficient clearance to retract the gland nut in order to wind the PTFE around the valve stem. Provided it is only the gland nut you are loosening, you dont need to isolate the main either... having wound several turns around the valve stem, in order to get the nut to find its way back onto the thread consider closing the valve with pressure on the gland nut... having started the thread, wind the gland nut home. Job done.

[@callumgreig2379]

@@guido7412 Thanks very much for the advice.

[@virgiltibbs9906]

Can you suggest a solution to my stopcock problem please? I turned my stopcock off and went on holiday for one week. When I came back, I turned the stopcock back on. Water ok for a couple of hours but then pressure dropped down to nearly nothing. Turned stopcock off then on again. Water came back good but really really noisy, pressure good then dropped off again. Prob with stopcock internal washer not fully opening? What can I do?

[@GretatheEvilGremlin]

Isolate the mains outside, then close the stopcock fully. Give it some gentle heat with a hair dryer, open and close it a few times while it`s still warm, it may put the flexibility back into the washer for it to re-seat. Failing that, the only answer is to follow the video and HOLD TIGHT.

[@leonelvilela5531]

I have to change the shower mixer and to do so I have to STOP THE MAIN WATER STOPCOCK first. WOULD I HAVE TO SWITCH OFF MY BOILER?

[@plumberparts]

Yes that's a good idea! *Don't miss this week's live stream* bang the notification bell too! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioOte52KoMl4hNk

[@Mrlistenandlearn]

Hi can this control hot to cold water? Because I get hot water in bath but then not in kitchen sink and bath sink- I live on a ground floor flat and I’m really thinking about turning it ?

[@scottio40]

no, cold water only

[@channel55andaboxoftissues16]

your channel is one of the best on youtube. 'how to take a shit', if i was to google this...i know one of your videos will pop up on my youtube feed answering precisely that question.

[@Pyrrhic537]

Mine is leaking from bottom middle right between the compression nuts. From the bottom. Can't really see it properly as I'm in my 80s.

[@paulrobinson3528]

Who do you think makes the best quality Stop Cocks on the market?? I turn mine off at least twice a year when we go away. is there a quick turn off version as mines a ball cock ache to get to!!

[@jackrees5325]

What if the mains tap out on the path don't turn the water off completely ?

[@michelleriou2428]

In my airing cupboard there is water dripping on the pipes i have phoned my local home group repairs the plumber man has come out 4 times all he done was put ptfe tape round the stopcock and used the spanner to tighten it up at the bottom of the pipes were the water is dripping. I don't think the plumber man thought about the fiber washer and rubber washer needs replacing. I think that might be the problem :/

[@imdebossgamer2711]

I have the same problem. It appears you know more than that plumber does !!

[@martindavies7034]

Great video. My stopcock will not close fully so I need to do this. Please could you let me know what size the fibre washer is. Thanks

[@stephenwalker7870]

Hi can you answer a question for me my water supplier wants to move the outside stopcock valve of the outside pavement which is their reponsability onto my drive way they say it's up grade work improvements but does that mean I will be then responsible for the stopcock valve which is now within my boundary I cannot understand this as the stopcock valve is inches away from my boundary I don't want them digging holes in my driveway which has cost a lot of money to put down I believe they want to do this work so they can install water meters against my will also can I tell them I don't want it on my premises

[@scottio40]

no, if they move to the outside of your property it is local water boards problem

[@sharonm2626]

thankyou nearly got flooded with these old fashion pipes and this useless couch potato lump of lard ive got no help,,,,so thankyou saved my day,,,,,

[@simonesaidy]

How can I find the mains water supply to stop water coming to my stop cock in the house? I have one like the one in the video in my house that stops the water within my house but how do I stop the water that is coming from outside to my inside stopcock? I would need to change the whole bloody thing but I need to be able to turn off the water.

[@laldan29]

So what do you do if you cant find a outside stop cock and the indoor stop isnt turning water off

[@colinmclean9460]

You’ve just saved me £50 you handsome bastard x

[@samnewman5129]

What if you cannot losen that gland the nut is stiff beytond imagination ?

[@BadHorsie1]

Just bought a new stopcock, turned off the mains and whacked the new one in.

[@mr.dahliaking.202]

Hi plumberparts I want to ask, what should I do if my main city water supply comes into my house's basement and it goes into the first stopcock, before the water meter. That stopcock is one of those really old soviet made iron ones, and it is so freakin rusted, that when I tried to twist it, thus to shut off water mains to my house, the handle twisted off itself, but the whole stopcock didn't shut off, the main arm that sticks out from the top twisted off and there 's now nowhere to grip and shut it off, and after that it starter to leak. What should I do? I tried to ask my city's goverment to shut off the water at the street, thus shutting water to all 10 apartment blocks and 60 private houses in the street, they said that they can't do this, because the main street can't be shut off, because of some sorts, so what can I do? If I try to touch anything, it will start to leak badly, and if I leave it as is I am at risk that 100 year old plumbing in my house will some day erupt and I will be in a lot of trouble, so what should I do?

[@liljasere]

Vytautas Poška sounds like you need to hire a pipe freezer and im assuming you live in the usa ?

[@mr.dahliaking.202]

no, I live in Lithuania. . .

[@liljasere]

ah my bad but yea it sounds like a pipe freezer job

[@terrymoss361]

I wonder if he can tail any faster

[@stevejohns8753]

If you take stopcock off won't alter come rushing out

[@amirhussain1449]

Micheal jacksons still alive pp kidnaped him lol nice and funny vid as usuall

[@utahmaximus2984]

4mins 51seconds,. can you explain where to wrap the tap around please? not sure where you mean., thank you

[@plumberparts]

Wrap it around the shaft of the valve. Then use the gland nut to tighten it! SUBSCRIBE! ➡️👉 kzbin.info 👈⬅️if you haven't already!

[@eatsleepdrifgardenward4922]

Good

[@Venus-19]

Oh my gosh please help!!!!! I have no water in my flat in any taps. Stop cock is on ,neighbours have water. Yorkshire water said no work going on. What could it be??? Thanks

[@plumberparts]

Hi Jessica. Is this all sorted now?

[@Venus-19]

Unfortunately not!

[@fablan3308]

Are you allowed to just put a lever tap in

[@michaeloffen7513]

Stop tap on blue pipe turned it off won't turn back on just clicks

[@joeloboda114]

Thank you for info very useful

[@Redneck3610]

My stop cock handle has been snapped off, as its on mains could i just fit a self cutting 22mm isolation valve on the pipe without turning water off from outside ( as i live in a block of flats ) hope that makes sense

[@mr.dahliaking.202]

Why everyone in England is using the crank-stopcock? If this is under the house, it will not be cranked at least one time in month. And this will cause it to stuck in open position and when you will try to crank it, even pliers will not help you, because the gland and the shaft will be coroted in place, and the sealing washer will be hard as a rock. I think everyone should be useing a ball-valve, witch has a rotating ball inside, and to shut it off you only need to twist it quarter turn. Those crankcable stopcock are designed to be used in gardens, basements, for water pumps etc. because they need to be cranked all the time, or it will stuck. For places, where you will not touch the valve for years you should use a ball-valve. Those can stay open for years and you will still be able to turn it off easily if you need.

[@delasantos]

Vytautas Poška well said

[@sashajamros7264]

What's the difference please? I live in 1845 house and discovered that stopcock is all crumbling. Have a dilemma new stopcock or ball-valve. Also would be OK to fit Water Hammer Arrester just near stopcock to reduce stress on pipework all over the house? Thank you.

[@dvach6352]

They have a poor design imo. The gate and shaft are in the way of water, resulting in corrosion. I ll also add that 1/2 of the ID is obstructed, resulting in less water-pressure into the Home. Ballvalves all the way.

[@peterhoare3754]

Why is a lever type valve not used as a stop cock?

[@thamwaikeong5885]

Was trying to follow you instructions, but I wish you could slow down a little and go thru everything step by step.

[@Dre50874]

I live in a ground floor flat and I've turned the stopcock underneath my kitchen sink off which turns off the water supply only to the cold water taps and bath. there is still water coming out of the hot taps??? I thought the stopcock in the kitchen turns off all the water in the property? How do i turn the hot water supply off ?

[@plumberparts]

+Dre50874 You need to drain the loft tank also mate! Sub here please>> kzbin.info

[@alisonstarr]

or find more stopcocks in with the hot water tank?