DaveK Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Please try to avoid any double entendre's. For some reason, I decided it would be good to check that I could actually close it if I wanted. And - surprise surprise, it doesn't want to turn very easily. I don't want to force it - but I do want to be able to use it if I'm ever unlucky enough that a leak springs somewhere in the house. Any ideas? So far all I've managed is spraying WD40 over it and hoping it frees it - however, that caused smoke like substance to come off it so I suspect that might have reacted with whatever sealant is used on the joint! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Are you turning it the right way?? You should turn it clockwise to close it. I'd put some levarage on it but support the valve with an adjustable or mould grips!! Chances are that it has been opened all the way and seized slightly, it's not uncommon. Or the valve has seized completely and it'll snap off when you force it and flood your kitchen...!!!!! Merry Christmas... H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimwire Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 I would leave it until you need to turn it off then use the method Havard suggested. Old ones have a habbit of leaking if you mess with them and getting a plumber out this time of yesr will be hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 OK thanks. I think I'll leave it for now - and in a few months I might get a plumber out. I'd rather pay £100 to get it freed up now than have the house flood at some point in the future if I can't close it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdavies Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Not sure how much it costs to sort it but when I went to turn mine off (I had been in the house 4 years at the time) - it was pretty much as you describe, tight as hell. I called the old man that then told me to leave it and he came and put a new valve in in front of the old one (after locating and turning off the stop cock outside) - then we applied appropriate pressure to the old one and finally got it free. So I now have two stop cocks inside and now know the location of the main valve outside... maybe you can locate that sucker before attempting anything brave... but as mentioned, not now! Wait till Christmas is clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 OK thanks. I think I'll leave it for now - and in a few months I might get a plumber out. I'd rather pay £100 to get it freed up now than have the house flood at some point in the future if I can't close it. Come on Dave, where's your sense of adventure. Have a swing on it!!! I bet you've got smoke alarms and lock your doors when you go out aswell - Live life on the edge man!!! H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittyclaws Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Come on Dave, where's your sense of adventure. Have a swing on it!!! I bet you've got smoke alarms and lock your doors when you go out aswell - Live life on the edge man!!! H. Yeah, get under there and belt it with a 2lb lump hammer. Teach it whos boss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Yeah, get under there and belt it with a 2lb lump hammer. Teach it whos boss Come on Dave, go and give it some "keggy". Do you sit down for a piss or what? H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 My g/f has her best friend over for Christmas - he arrives on Friday. He's actually a nice enough guy - but I'm not looking forward to 6 days sharing my house with him (it's a small house and I am VERY unsociable) - followed by another 6 days in Barcelona with lots more of her friends. Maybe I'll try and free it up on Friday - might liven things up a bit! Mind you - that's her birthday so flooding the house might not be a popular thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 Maybe I'll try and free it up on Friday - might liven things up a bit! Mind you - that's her birthday so flooding the house might not be a popular thing. Oh I don't know!! A bit of entertainment like a flood, the time will fly by Dave. In all seriousness I would be surprised if it's anything more than it being opened to far in the first place and it's gone a bit stiff. Remember clockwise and support the pipe as it's the weak link.!! If I was any closer mate I'd come down and flood the kitchen for you!!! H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 Maybe I'll see if she like her presents. Grateful g/f - no flood. Ungrateful g/f - flood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osso Posted December 20, 2006 Share Posted December 20, 2006 heheh! I didnt have any problems turning my stopcock off, the problem started when i opened it again! it started leaking, as mentioned earlier its a common problem with the older ones! anyway i had to put some leaverage on to open it up as far as it would go to stop it from leaking! There's a trick you can do with plumbers tape instead.. I'm gonna feel sorry for the poor bugger who will need to turn it off in future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Best to get it fixed - there's few things worse than having to deal with that at the same time as a real problem...the tap handle fell off my stopcock one time, while I had a 6 foot fountain of water across the bathroom. Cue lots of colourful language and imaginative use of pliers and brute force! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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