Clark Drain CD880 140mm x 115mm x 75mm Stop Tap Stopcock Cover/lid PVC Locking Surround Box

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There are two types of water systems – direct, and indirect. As the name suggests, in direct systems, the water comes directly from the mains, whereas in indirect systems, your water comes from a cold-water tank, which is fed by the mains. Mark does not recommend using lubricating oil, WD40 or similar to try to loosen a stop tap. He explained: ‘Oil and WD40 work on rust, so on ferrous metals. There’s nothing worse than arriving to find a customer has sprayed the stop tap with WD40, as it just makes it slippery to work with.’ Indirect systems utilise both a hot water and a cold-water storage vessel, which are usually located in the attic, loft, or an upstairs cupboard. A gate vale is located under each of these tanks. A gravity or low-pressure system, when there is a tank in the loft that supplies the toilets and basins, will have the mains stop tap that supplies water to the kitchen sink, plus a stop tap coming out of the tank for the hot-water flow and for the cold-water flow too. Is my water company responsible for the mains water stop valve is a common question and one that the answer has recently changed. The water utility companies provide two main piped services to your home. The first is the delivery of fresh water. The second is the removal of waste water from both sewage and drainage. In the past it has been unclear as to who is responsible between the homeowner/landlords and the Utility Company for which of the piping and associated taps within each boundary. Very recently the government and utility companies have moved to clarify this as follows.

The diagram below shows the typical pipework at most homes and who is responsible for maintaining it.I worked for a water company and have seen this very many times, customers always wanted to blame us until it was explained that the internal S/Tap or if they have installed an extra one in the garden it was theirs. It may take a few turns to stop the water. You'll usually get to a point where you can’t turn it anymore. You shouldn’t need to use excessive force to turn it further. In an emergency, your local water company guarantee to come out within 24 hours. However, this is more than long enough for a leak within your property to create some serious damage.

An accredited plumber can use freezing and clamping as a short-term solution. This process creates an ice plug that lasts for around 30 minutes, allowing you to extend or repair pipework without draining the whole system. If in doubt, call in a plumber who will advise you on whether it’s possible to fix it or replace it. You can find an endorsed plumber in your local area with Which? Trusted Traders. Can you turn off the water from the street?

Mark told us: ‘An old-fashioned stop tap that hasn’t been turned for a couple of years is unlikely to work, in which case you’ll have to get the Water Board out. They will have to fix the stop tap in the road before you can do anything in the house.’

Install a permanent isolation valve called an Aladdin valve. This can be installed on hot water or cold water pipes in around 5 minutes and can be done without turning off your water.Your inside stop valve is inside your house and is normally located just after the water pipe enters the house. This is often under the kitchen sink, but can also be: The diagram below shows the typical pipework for most homes and who is responsible for maintaining it.

The external valve controls the flow from the water main that serves your street to the supply pipe into your house.Important: if your home is on a shared water supply, turning the water off will also turn your neighbour’s off. Let them know before you start work. How to turn your water on using the outside stop valve Just a tip, before winter make sure your inside and outside Stop tap isolates, remember what goes through the meter you pay for.