Attach tap/valve to active water pipe ?

Gavin

Hey,
I have a leaky tap. No problem, I read up how to fix it, seems straightforward. I go to turn off the water to the tap, but the tap under the sink merely cuts off water to the washing machine, not to the tap. After much poking around, the cold tap in the kitchen is attached directly to the mains. I eventually found the mains tap, but it is an incredibly awkward to reach location, only reachable by a child/small person. One option is to cut a hole in the wall/fascia so I can reach through to the mains to turn it off. Probably a better long term solution in case of an emergency.

The other potential option is if there is a way to attach a valve/tap to the pipe under the sink? Something which will cut into the pipe, block the water and has tap/valve to allow flow. Are there such things?

ART6

There is a DIY tap fitting that cuts into the pipe, but that's only for fitting another outlet from the mains pipe. One alternative is to hire a pipe freezer from a tool hire outfit. They freeze the water in the pipe, creating a temporary plug, but then you had better know what you're doing or you could quickly have a flood, and I am not sure that they work with plastic pipes. Not being able to get at the mains stopcock could be bad news at some time. Can't you reach it with a pronged bar? -- the thing with a tee handle on one end and a fork on the other?

Pete67

Someday you will need access to the mains stopcock, and you will need it in a hurry. You should sort out the access issue before then.

There should also be a mains isolating valve outside the boundary of the property, usually under a small metal access plate set into the footpath, you will need a stopcock key to turn it off. If you can locate this, you can isolate mains water coming in and replace your kitchen tap.

Micky Dolenz

Pete67 wrote: »

Someday you will need access to the mains stopcock, and you will need it in a hurry. You should sort out the access issue before then.

There should also be a mains isolating valve outside the boundary of the property, usually under a small metal access plate set into the footpath, you will need a stopcock key to turn it off. If you can locate this, you can isolate mains water coming in and replace your kitchen tap.

Exactly. The issue needs to be addressed. If you can't locate stop cock at road. Buy a frezze kit (€25) and frezze mains pipe and fit valve. It is advisable to frezze mains pipe before it tee's off to other places EG attic tanks etc.

If this isn't possible, get seperate valves at cold on kitchen sink and mains feed to tanks, valve could be fitted in hotpress as pipes travel to the tanks in the attic.

I would be unconcerned about removing current stop cock under kitchen sink, if it is open it presents a low risk of leaking etc in the future.

Outkast_IRE

ART6 wrote: »

There is a DIY tap fitting that cuts into the pipe, but that's only for fitting another outlet from the mains pipe. One alternative is to hire a pipe freezer from a tool hire outfit. They freeze the water in the pipe, creating a temporary plug, but then you had better know what you're doing or you could quickly have a flood, and I am not sure that they work with plastic pipes. Not being able to get at the mains stopcock could be bad news at some time. Can't you reach it with a pronged bar? -- the thing with a tee handle on one end and a fork on the other?

I wouldnt reccomend using the pipe freezing technique on mains water , far too much pressure there to trust anything like that .

Micky Dolenz

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I wouldnt reccomend using the pipe freezing technique on mains water , far too much pressure there to trust anything like that .

The trick is to make your ice plug big, Irish mains pressure comes nowhere close to being a problem. You have 20 mins max though.

Outkast_IRE

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

The trick is to make your ice plug big, Irish mains pressure comes nowhere close to being a problem. You have 20 mins max though.

depends where in ireland you are i have over 3 bar at times a lot of cork city does.

Gavin

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to go with cutting a hole in the wall to allow access to the mains stop cock. I'm in an apartment, and can't find an external mains control.

The freezing solution is interesting, I'd need to be fairly confident before trying it though, the penalty of failure is fairly large!

I'd seen simple self-attaching piping stuff for external taps in B&Q before, so thought there might be something similar for inserting a valve.