Could this be my stopcock?

[hobson]

I've searched high and low for the stopcock in my property, which is a converted flat on the top floor of a terraced house. Under the kitchen sink, by the loo, by the bathroom sink, under or around the boiler....

I can't find it, but there is a cabinet in my bathroom which contains four pipes, coming out of the floor going up, and one of them has this thing:



Is there any chance that could be my stopcock? There's no tap or handle on it as you can see, but there wouldn't actually be room for a handle in the cabinet.

Failing that, do any of you who are plumbers have experience of customers calling out plumbers and admitting they have no idea where the stopcock is? The problem I actually need to fix is just a dripping tap and I'd try to do it myself if I could just work out how to turn the water off, but I'm stuck. Is it even worth calling a plumber or would they just ask me to phone again once I've found it?

Thanks for any advice anyone can offer!

 

[Blake]

That is a drain off I'm afraid. See if you have a street tap/boundary box outside on the pavement anywhere, failing that, just call a plumber in ask him to find it for you

 

[TomLane]

Agree with Blake, that's not your stop tap, that's a drain off!

If you were a customer who called me saying you couldn't find it I would certainly come & find it for you. A process of elimination would eventually find the stop tap. Last resort as Blake says, main stop tap outside property!

Where are you based?

 

[hammers4spanner]

if its a converted top floor flat then it maybe a service cupboard somewhere in the hall way under stairs etc etc

 

[Dan Masey]

There's a chance that there isn't one. Iv been to several conversions in the past and believe it or not, the renovator has left the building stop tap downstairs under your neighbours kitchen sink. Very naughty. Especially if both are not on a meter.

 

[MRDrip]

Talk to downstairs neighbour, do they have a stopcock and if so try turning it off. There could be an extra valve where your supply is branched off above the main tap.
If that fails as said above the one in the street is the only option.

 

[Dan Masey]

Just make sure the one in the street dosnt control upstairs and downstairs. Don't want to annoy your neighbour. ;-)

 

[hobson]

Thanks for the info everyone.

Agree with Blake, that's not your stop tap, that's a drain off!

If you were a customer who called me saying you couldn't find it I would certainly come & find it for you. A process of elimination would eventually find the stop tap. Last resort as Blake says, main stop tap outside property!

Where are you based?

Catford, Lewisham, south east London.

 

[AWheating]

id say 50% of the houses i work in the owner/tenant has no idea where the cold water mains stop tap is. some dont know where the boiler is LOL.

 

[vern]

id say 50% of the houses i work in the owner/tenant has no idea where the cold water mains stop tap is. some dont know where the boiler is LOL.

I like it when you ask "so where's you boiler" and you get taken to the cylinder or better still you get "I dunno your the gas man"

 

[AlexGas]

I take it, there are no isolation valves to your dripping tap. Just a tip – ask your plumber to fit the valves for you. You never know…

 

[AlexGas]

Is it even worth calling a plumber or would they just ask me to phone again once I've found it?

Thanks for any advice anyone can offer!

Defo get a plumber in.

 

[Resolute]

id say 50% of the houses i work in the owner/tenant has no idea where the cold water mains stop tap is. some dont know where the boiler is LOL.

Amount of times I ask where the boiler is and promptly get shown the hot water cylinder!

Anyway, as others have said get a plumber in and they'll find it or a way of shutting the water off and fitting one.

 

[Koogatubac]

Flats normally have a cupboard on ground floor where all the gas meters and stop cocks are labeled to which number flat

 

[hobson]

My downstairs neighbour tells me she thinks her stopcock (maybe mine too then) is under the floorboards in the shared hallway a metre or two in front of the front door . . .

Have contacted a plumber.