Mains stopcock leaking? And installing an outside tap

Where is the stopcock?

Usually in the meter cupboard, near the water meter, sometimes in the crawl space, the cellar or the storage room. There is often a tap before and a tap after the water meter. Find it before you need it, and let all household members know where it is.

Mains stopcock leaking: what do you do?

1. Check where it's leaking. If it's dripping along the spindle under the handle, the washer is usually worn. If it's leaking at the couplings on either side, the problem is in the connection to the pipe or the water meter.
2. Catch the water with a bowl and keep the meter cupboard dry. If there's electrical equipment in the same cupboard, stay away from wet parts and switch off the main switch if in doubt.
3. Is the leak before or at the water meter? The water meter and the pipe up to and including the meter usually belong to the water company. Call your water company first; they have an emergency number.
4. If the leak is after the water meter, it usually falls under the homeowner. If you rent, report it to the landlord.

If a spindle is dripping slightly, it sometimes helps to tighten the gland nut under the handle a little. Do this carefully and without forcing. Old taps break easily.

Mains stopcock won't close

A mains stopcock that has not been used for years can seize up due to limescale. Do not force it with pliers: the spindle can break off, and then you have a leak you cannot shut off. Better to turn the mains stopcock fully closed and open again a few times a year, so it stays smooth.

When does the stopcock need replacing?

• It leaks, even after tightening the gland nut.
• It no longer closes fully: water keeps coming through.
• It's stuck or turns without shutting off.
• It's an old tap with traces of rust or limescale on the couplings.

To replace a stopcock after the meter, the water supply before the tap must be shut off. That's only possible if the valve before the meter works properly; otherwise the water company is needed. Have this done by a tradesman.

Installing outside tap: what do you look out for?

An outside tap is handy for the garden, the car or cleaning the bikes. A few points make the difference between a tap that lasts for years and a tap that doesn't survive the first frost.

• Frost-proof. An ordinary outside tap with water in the pipe can freeze and crack. Choose a frost-free wall tap, where the shut-off is inside the warm wall, or ensure there's a stopcock with drain facility inside, so you can empty the pipe in winter. Also read protecting pipes against freezing.
• Backflow prevention. You connect a garden hose to an outside tap. If that hose hangs in a bucket, pond or container with fertiliser, that water can be siphoned back into the drinking water supply if the pressure drops. An outside tap should therefore have backflow prevention, such as a check valve with air gap.
• Branch and stopcock. Have the pipe branched at a logical point and fit a separate stopcock inside, so you can isolate the outside tap.
• Through the façade. The pipe must go neatly through the wall, finished watertight and with a fall to the outside.