My neighbour turned off our shared stopcock now we have trickle of water..?

Dannyboyuk · Apr 8, 2012

Hi all,

Happy Easter everyone,

Im new here and plumbers are expensive but here is my story.

I live in a shared maisonette, we have 1 pipe from the street stopcock on street and a blue thing next to it. comes through my ground floor, to a stopcock under my boiler, then up to my neighbours.

For some reason he he turned the stopcock off in the street, properly because our stopcocks are very tight, I cant even shift mine, looks like original pipe work with is half and inch lead pipes, property was built in 1920`s.

Our water pressure and flow was fine, only a bit poor if upstairs were using theres too.

since they have turned the stopcock on and off we have little water just a poor flow, not enough to light our boiler or heat shower etc...

we have had essex and suffolk water out and they done a text to show that the stopcock is working on the street and they are providing good flow past the boundary.

What could be the problem? could sediment have shifted and got stuck? they are experiencing the same problem upstairs too.

Im going to get my internal stopcock replaced but any thoughts or other remedy's? airlock?

thanks and regards,

Dan

WaterTight · Apr 11, 2012

You haven't made reference to the last two posts. Both asking if you'd made 100% sure the stopcock in the street is fully on. Easiest thing to start with.

After that you're looking at a bogus diagnosis of correct flow by the waterboard or a blockage. What I'd do is take off your old internal stopcock (since it needs replacing anyway), rig up a new one with a hose on it and flush it through. It'll either work or there's a problem between the external and internal.

A stopcock replacement isn't a difficult job and if you post your area we'll probably be able to recommend somewhere near you. Don't go putting flames on anything, it'll end in tears.

WaterTight · Apr 11, 2012

Oh and the leak I mentioned was because the external stopcock box appears to be full of water. If it is leaking the waterboard will need to look at it which is why I thought you could kill two birds with one stone and get a second opinion on whether it's open/working.

WaterTight · Apr 11, 2012

Oh and if the waterboard guy had loads of muck on his hands he might have had to dig it out. Happens all the time but wouldn't necessarily indicate there was muck inside the pipework. Might also explain the water.

Guest123 · Apr 11, 2012

Dannyboyuk said:
Could I try to find a plumber on here?

If you post your general location, e.g town or area, I'm sure that one of the forum members will take you up on this and PM you to arrange it.

Dannyboyuk · Apr 11, 2012

WaterTight said:
Oh and if the waterboard guy had loads of muck on his hands he might have had to dig it out. Happens all the time but wouldn't necessarily indicate there was muck inside the pipework. Might also explain the water.

thank you water tight for the information.

I am due to get a plumber in next wednesday he will replace internal stoptap etc...

The essex and suffolk guy did test the water supply post external stoptap, so this could explain why it is still wet in there.

As they are old pipes can they still be blasted? maybe only 4 bars of pressure?

Dannyboyuk · Apr 19, 2012

Hi all,

Here is an update just wanted to run it past you all.

The problem has been confirmed it is inbetween the boundary and our internal stopcocks.

We are going to run 25ml polypipe from the street under our front garden and into our neighbours up their corridor into their loft, will then come down into their kitchen and split of to ours .

My question is do you think there will be enough pressure to push the water from the street up 2 stories?

The pressure from the street looks very good. We are mainly suffering from old lead half an inch 80 year old lead pipes which have poor flow due to a blockage, the pressure is fine though.