Surestop water valve | isolate water with a switch

In this video I install a surestop, which is a stop cock that can be operated remotely using a special switch. The Surestop does not require electricity or batteries as it simply operates using the water pressure. I’m not sure if the surestop stop tap is reliable, so if you have used one please post in the comments section.

[bikeguy]

I still think some of this should be taught in school and you are building a great library of manageable and safety conscious DIY job videos.

[darrenpaulgreen]

We fit a lot of these at the property maintenance company I work for, usually when we replace a kitchen. They can replace the existing stopcock so long as you can isolate the water in the road, though usually they are fitted in addition to a stopcock that is seiner in the on position.
Although I have to admit to initially being sceptical, out of 100 or so installations, I'm not aware of a single callback.
Great video and thanks for posting.

[United-Til-I-Die]

Fitted 6 of them over the last 2 years for the elderly and disabled, done work since at their houses and they love them, no issues with them whatsoever 👍

[gaggymott]

Thank you for your advice on this device. Last week, I had a kitchen refurb done, and the plumber added one of these switches. I forgot to ask him exactly was it was for, but your post explained everything....Thanks again, and hopefully I never need to use it! 👍👍👍

[anthonyknight]

I had this fitted in my bungalow 3.5 years ago by my housing association when they fitted a new kitchen, not had any problems at all and its easy for me to use

[lazylad]

Two weeks on the run you show us videos concerning water, and it just happen to not stop rainning all week.🤔🤔🤔. Mmmmm a connection maybe. Thanks for posting.👍👍👍

[nexusseven]

Your taking simple DIYers to a professional level, one video at a time, thank you, Sir

[SlyerFox]

Had a sure stop at my mum's for over ten years after she had a kitchen fitted an the pipes kept leaking, been a really good invention and investment would highly recommend them. 👍 Plus now I even know how to fit one myself nice one.

[nadeem]

I had one of these installed in October 2017 (without the remote switch). So far it has worked as expected and been the main stop cock in our home. I used it for 3 weeks to stop the water when i went on holidays and it worked well. To me the main advantage is that it is less likely to seize and more user friendly for people who don't understand household plumbing too well. I think I discovered these in one of your old videos or the video you did on the aladdin isolater valve. Cheers.

[onlythetruthfull]

I have installed and used two of these in my bungalow both failed at the remote switch within 2 years one was eBay the other I think was Screwfix. Two years apart. The waterboard had increased pressure because of complaints but soon reduced it again due to numerous main pipe bursts. Whether this had anything to do with it. The pipe to remotes was very brittle. I do recall a lot of failures at the time.
Keep up the great vids I am learning a lot

[barryvaughan]

I have installed three of these, first one in 2012, then the other two a couples of years later. One isolates the fridge/freezer so that it can be isolated without pulling the whole thing out, one isolates the mains in and one isolates the outside. No problems with any of them, all working great.

[ratmanbug]

I've had an early Surestop installed for nearly 20 years and it hasn't let me down yet. It cost £25 in those days!

[dikul]

Had one of these fitted about 5 years ago, had no problems with it and, as the traditional stopcock was (and still is seized solid), it has been a boon.

[GSF]

seen plumber parts guy fitting one he said he has fitted loads with no problems,   so if a professional is happy to fit them I think they must be safe enough :)

[GeeTheBuilder]

Great video as usual 👏👍

Couple of additional tips/comments, positive not meant negatively

1: Richard from This Old House always says to clean the copper before you slice it. That’s good advice even if using pushfit and not soldering.

2: Secondly, with a pipe-slice I always seem to splash lots of water when the first cut is made. So I often drill a small hole in the pipe that will anyway be discarded to drain any water easily.

You didn’t need either of those tips from what I could see but others watching this video might. Hence this comment

Of course this video now means I have to fit my SureStop I bought from SF over 2 years ago :)

[uktony]

A plumber fitted one for my 97 year old father to give us all peace of mind at the same time he fitted a new stopcock. The stopcock is in a really awkward place and this makes life so much easier. Daughter now has one as well as her husband is not that practical.

[alancoyne]

We had one fitted about 7 or 8 years ago . Never had any problems with it would highly recommend it to anyone who has a stoptap in an awkward position or has problems with gripping and turning a stoptap its as easy as turning the light on.

[nightjarflying]

Nicely done video that covers everything - you're very good at these instructional videos. I'm going to add "witness mark" to be vocabulary - nice expression that will make me sound professional :)
My son has a Surestop not yet installed & identical in appearance to yours & his instructions don't quite match yours BUT he's had his kit a couple of years & things change [1] at 10:42 where you mark 12 mm - that's 14 mm on my son's version [8mm then a further 6mm to ensure the tubing has gone through the O ring] & [2] While it's 90 mm of exposed tubing for the switch end, it need only be 60 mm for the valve end. Have a great Father's day sir - I'm being dragged down the pub against my will...

[Andy_Byrne]

Mine was leaking today, I fixed it with watching this video so thank you....

[ReferenceFidelityComponents]

I think that these might best be treated as consumables for reliability, especially in hard water areas or areas with high pressure or large pressure fluctuations. Changed every 5 years or so. I'd lay odds that the switch part with the plunger won't stay reliable in hard water areas. Treat it as a consumable and bargain to pay a fiver per year for the convenience factor but honestly why bother when there are very reliable quarter turn valves available these days with less potential for failure? For the elderly or infirm just ensure that a nice easy lever operated one is fitted. Great video though and nice to see such a neat job using the proper tools👍