Stopcock seized up? Cannot turn off the water.

#Stopcocks/Stoptaps# that do not work. Here is how to get them going again.

Thanks Al

[ShadowzGSD]

twice a year we change the clocks. it is a good time to get a routine going at an easy to remember time. turn all the stoptaps, ISO valves etc, press the test buttons on the RCDs, press the test button on the smoke detectors. get everything on the list and it makes everything run much better for when you really need it.

[adriancarter]

Got the problem low and behold you upload a video it’s not the first time unbelievable and thanks

[paulcollyer]

A good few yrs back now I was moving out of my flat, and the washing machine stop valve was broke. (I found this out on my last day.)
Plumber came & the stop cock was jammed, with blue plastic pipe from the ground to 4”where it went to copper pipe for 3” then straight into the stopcock. (From a 70s build… surprised the heck outta me And the plumber.)
Plumber’s freeze kit was knackered.
Took an hour to mop the kitchen after sealing that washing machine tap lol.

[kieranaldridge]

You're a legend. Just helped me out so much.

Thank you

[AndrewLumsden]

I had this exact problem of a seized stopcock several years ago. My plumber replaced it with a quarter turn lever arm isolation valve. Just brilliant, no need to open the tap fully and close it down by a thread, and there is no need for periodic closing and opening. With a stainless steel arm, there is no possibility of brass shearing off.

[DavidFothergill-ej]

Thanks for the tips. Got mine working a treat!

[stevelitchfield]

Great advice, though for quite a few of us, the tap in the road seized up years ago and the water companies don’t want to know. Grr…

Anyway, options are more limited in this scenario!!

[tectoramia-szlu]

I always used to fit a lever valve, either instead or in addition to the stopcock. Much easier for elderly persons to opperate.
The waterboard weren't keen on them, but what the heck. The older stopcocks used to have a loose jumper to make them
non return, but they stopped making them years ago.

[mattpeters]

Great video……my internal stopcock and outside mains tap are both seized! What can I do ? The local water company have said it will take 3 months before they can replace as they need to close road and require permits 😳

[inquisitive]

Our plumber fitted the red valve type turn-wheels inside our home so that we could turn our outdoor taps off in the Winter. We have had the front red valve replaced three times now by two different plumbers. - For a third time, it just keeps turning and won't work to turn the water off. The front one has now done the same. Had three different plumbers replace them. We are very careful and delicate with these red valves, so we don't know why they continue to fail? Are these red valves just rubbish, or are the little black switches better? Could water pressure being too high continue to break them? Thanks. Love from Scotland, ❤ X ...

[michellesheridan]

Our stopcock has gone a funny colour think it’s rusty? Can’t turn the stopcock off? Any advice pls whilst we wait for our plumber.. No one’s available for 2 days they are so busy!

[fredbloke]

Have tried vinegar/acid trick without result, I put grease or copperslip on all threads to make
unscrewing and open/close easier next time.

[howardevans]

Word of warning, in blocks of flats/apartments, and other places where the water pressure will be very high, don't open the stopcock any more than you find it, as it may blow the seals in things like kitchen mixer taps. Yes, a couple of times ayear close it and open back to where you found it, counting the half-turns as you go.

[gordons]

Gate valves are another pain they have a tendency to break inside and the handle just spins so you either have a valve that’s open and you can’t close it or even worse they are closed so after you have done whatever needed doing you can’t get the water back on so have to replace it.

[michaelp]

Lever valves are the way to go, ( British Standard ).

[Benzknees]

Hope mine never seizes solid, as it has soldered or sweated joints top & bottom, with a lead feed pipe!

[pippypupkinspuptasticpicko]

Hi Dereton, we had a stopcock with a very stuck tap handle, and when turning it to open the valve, it snapped in two. The stopcock is down a 5" wide x 1 foot deep recess in our garage floor, so its really hard to access. Any ideas what we can use to turn the shaft ? Its not a square shaped shaft which took the tap handle, so we can't use a socket etc, its rectangular with round ends ??? Also do you know if different sized stopcocks have different sized shafts or are they standard please, as we have been looking at getting a bigger stopcock and using that bigger tap handle if that meets a bigger shaft ie the one down the recess, Or you have other ideas on dealing with this please ? Many thanks in advance :-)

[davidfalconer]

The trick to a seized main tap is to NOT let it happen ! .... turn your ( nice new ) tap fully on ..then .. turn it back ½ a turn, this will not impede the water flow and it will not get jammed fully " on " years later ( tried - n - tested ) .... DAVE™🛑

[AaaaandAction]

If possible remove the gland nut and apply limescale remover perhaps?

[dp-srfd]

I had this problem but was hesitant to use force in case it sheared off. What I did was get a freezing kit that froze the water in the pipe and fit an isolator. You must have all the parts and tools ready to do the job though. As it happened there was plenty of time to spare before the water in the pipe thawed out.