Turning off mains water in an apartment

Victor_M

I'm trying to change a kitchen sink mixer tap in an apartment (well I tried to replace the spigot but it's rusted in place and not budging so I have to change the mixer itself) I can't for the life of me find the shut off valve for the mains cold water supply.

I presume there is always a mains shut off internally in the apartment somewhere, I have checked in the hotpress and behind the sink/washing machine and there are no butterfly valves to shut off the water at the tap itself, the mains pipes run into the wall to the bathroom and there is a wooden box frame which hides the pipes that run to and from the hotpress, hopefully it's not buried inside there.

Any suggestions as to where it may be are welcome, also is it possible that the mains isolation could be outside the apartment itself?

It's a ground floor apt if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Joey the lips

Usually an apartment is pumped. Turn off the water to the pump then this should isolate the water. only thing is all your water will be gone. Make sure to turn the power off to your pump as well.

Check and see if the water is on before changing.

fyi. You can use penatrating fluid to remove the diffuser on the tap. Might save you changing it.

Just make sure to clean it away with hot boiling water after.

Buford T Justice

There should be a stopcock outside in the street, but its not something you can turn buy hand. You will need a square tool to operate it.

Trace the pipes back and see. My guess is that it would be somewhere in the boxed up area you are talking about

What you are looking for inside is this


Which is a mains pressure stopcock.

However, a lot of places I come across actually don't have them and jus have the standard gate valves, like this



If it helps, post some pics and we might be able to spot it for you. Likely to be the hotpress, or the boxed area. You'll know it because it should be black hydradare pipe feeding into the flat.

Victor_M

Thanks for the suggestions lads, I have a fair idea what I should be looking for, no sign of any of the valves that fingers suggested, somethings you get lucky and the plumber has put valves on the pipes at the kitchen sink, not in this case unfortunately.

I might try some wd40 but the soft brass fitting is giving way on me, even using a ring spanner.

Bit of a pain in the ass TBH, it's a very simple fix that's turning into a headache, as even if I could get the spigot out I can't turn the mains off!

Thanks again for all the suggestions time to get a plumber to do it right for me I think.

yoshytoshy

In some old apartment blocks ,there are service ducts usually a door of some sort in the hall area between apartments . If there is a stop cock there ,it will be on black plastic pipe.