What's The Minimum Length Of Pipe I Need To Get A Freeze Kit On?

[plumbandplumber]

Bit of a tricky one. The stop tap in pavement is very old and does nothing. Water co says 10 months to come out and replace!!! The stop tap inside the Victorian house is under an access panel in floor inside front door as the tap is in void under ground floor. The pipe from under garden is lead and enters the void under front door through the stone foundations that hold up the front elevation of the house. There is 2” of lead pipe through the hole in the foundation wall, then it joins (sweated joint) to approx. 4” ofcopper 15mm pipe before it enters the stop tap.

The gland on the stop tap is trickling water, but the gland nut is seized and so is the nut that turns to remove the tap’s head. So, we need to replace inside stop tap, with no way of isolating with the outside stop tap.
If I buy a freeze can from merchants/Screwfix/Tool Station, is only 4” of copper pipe enough to get the freeze jacket on pipe and freeze it? If there is a slight trickle which means slight flow in the pipe, will it freeze, or does the water need to be at complete standstill?
Or shall I just snatch it and change the stop tap live? :rolleyes2: Any water should just soak into the earth below foundations.



Note: When we turn off the leaking inside stop tap, the trickle from it's gland slows, but doesn't stop.

 

[chris watkins]

if there is any water flow it is un-likely to freeze. (unless you call in the the liquid Nitrogen boys)

If you are going to try to freeze it yourself, I would hire an electric one as the plates are smaller than the bags & you can leave it on all the time you are working.

 

[Riley]

You'll struggle. To get it to freeze with any flow as Chris says. Maybe report a leak at your internal stopcock and water regs are to ensure no water wastage as this would clearly be over 10 months

 

[NickH]

I have done it " live " before. Bit nerve wracking and you need to make sure you have everything to hand before you start and someone to help as well .
Can't believe the water co. won't come out sooner. We can normally get a stopcock replaced within a few days around here.

 

[NickH]

Oh and a change of clothing as well, cos you'll get soaked.

 

[1Steven]

Freeze master, the original electric pipe freezer will do it

 

[joni os]

As above difficult to freeze. Instead set up new stopcock with short length of copper and hose attached to outlet. Direct hose to convenient drain and with new stopcock open cut out existing and replace. With stopcock open and provided hose not kinked, there will be plenty of time to make compression joint with minimum spillage of water. Once satisfied with your new stopcock to existing copper connection, turn off stopcock and you're in control.

 

[Last Plumber]

Are you sure the outside stop tap doesn't work ?
It will be a plug cock !

Quarter turn

 

[Jock Spanners]

The last time I had one of these I cut it live and stuck a speedfit isolator valve on. It worked a treat but it's definitely nerve wracking. You can then upgrade it when the water company gets its act together.

 

[Best]

Water company might send somebody out to turn entire street off briefly for you.
Could you not carefully unseize the packing nut on the existing internal stopcock?

 

[JCplumb]

10 month wait to replace? Eek!
Maybe they have a planned lead replacement in your area and they are putting off your request until then?
As mentioned above, I thought the turn around for sorting out their external tap was a matter of days, not months.
Infact, just Googled it and Thames water have a 5 day target to repair external stop taps.

 

[Last Plumber]

I've already said this but I don't know if you read it ?

Are you sure it isn't a quarter turn plug cock outside ?

If it's got a square top it will be

 

[lame plumber]

fill the kettle and a couple of pans, knock the street stopcock off the pipe, phone water co complaining of a leak and no water, they will pop out quick enough 🙂