How To Check That Your Stopcock Works

The stopcock is a simple valve that quickly disconnects your house from the water mains in the street. You'll probably find your stopcock near your kitchen sink. There's a picture of a stopcock on the right - yours might have a wheel on top to close it instead of a lever like this one.

To close the stopcock simply turn it fully clockwise. Then, go to your kitchen sink and turn on the cold water. The water should stop flowing almost instantly. If it stops completely then your stopcock works fine. If it doesn't then you need to replace your stopcock. We can carry out this work at a a competitive rate.

To get the water running to your taps again just turn the stopcock anti-clockwise to open it.

A Word Of Warning

It is a requirement under the Water Regulations Act 1991 that every property has a working stopcock so that it can be isolated from the water mains. In common with most plumbers, we do charge a 1 hour callout charge if we are unable to carry out work on your property due to a faulty stopcock. The responsibility for making sure the stopcock works correctly rest firmly with the property owner!

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