Water leak/Stop Tap?

Question

Hi,I moved into my house in January (first time buyer) and have just discovered a leak in thr kitchen coming through a joice. I think it is coming from a water pipe leading from the bathroom down to the kitchen but we do not have a clue where the stop tap is too turn the main water off and if we find it will thsi stop the leak until we can fix the problem?Its not in the bathroom or under the sink in the normal places out whole bathroom is tiled (bath cistern everything) I doubt it could be behind the tiles because surely it would need to be accesable does anyone have any idea where the stoop tap could be????!!!!!

Sorry it is a semi detached house, our next door neighbours have a stop tap in their downstairs shower room we dont have a shower room but use the room as a study there is a tap in there but we turned it and the water doesnt shut off nothing happens... Also we have a combi boiler upstairs with a tap that looks the same as the one downstairs (metal like the one for a hose pipe outside) but we cant even turn that one but my partner doesnt think it is that one as he traced it and it leads somewhere else or something - I think were going to have to call a plumber although they wont be much help if we dont know how to turn the damn water off!

Answer 1

I don't know, do you have a basement? If you have a crawl space, then look there. Call a plumber quick and get him out there. You can do all kinds of damage with that leak. It most likely is behind the walls and it needs to be stopped quickly.

Ask a neighbor where there cut-off is located. Hurry, do it now, before you have to replace all the drywall. good luck.

Answer 2

When you turn the stop tap this will stop any more water entering your pipes but your water tank will be full. Open up the cold water tap and see if this will help. The water will drain from your water tank and end up a trickle as there will be no water entering the pipes. Usually stop taps are located under a kitchen sink. I know this sounds daft is this leak happening all the time or is it say when you flush the toilet, empty bath etc. Couple of problems could be 1) go to the sink in your bathroom and feel the pipes at the back of the sink sometimes leaks can run down the pipes and it is not really obvious. You will feel the water on the pipes This could be that your taps have come unscrewed from their fixings. 2) check your bath plughole. The newer types screw into a pipe under the bath and can sometimes work loose. Best option is to take the side panel off the bath and check for any damp..... or call a plumber and they will be able to locate the stop tap for you remember to check their charges before they come out as they can be expensive.

Answer 3

I find looking under the floorboards in the entrance hall is usually a safe bet.

If not try shutting off anything that may look like it should turn off the water and open the kitchens cold tap, this SHOULD come off of the mains, and is probably the quickest way to discover if you have shut off the mains supply. If the kitchen tap runs dry, you may still have water stored in a cistern for the remainder of the colds, and a cylinder for the hot.

Answer 4

Call a plumber, even if you stopped water you don't know where the leak is. So call a plumber now.For next time or any one reading this if you cant find stop tap in the house you will always find the main one out side your property in the footpath. When buying a new house or for that matter selling a house the water mains stop tap is one of the first things you should ask about or tell new purchasers about.

Answer 5

I agree with stew pot, there will be a stop tap in the street or perhaps on the drive, the problem with attempting the repair yourself without previous experience is that you're external stop may possibly controll more than just your own water supply, so lets say for arguments sake that you turn the water off to 2 or more houses, attempt the repair and make it worse, you could then be forced to call an emergency plumber who will charge through the roof because he has had to come off another job, and if you don't call an emergency plumber you're neighbours won't be best pleased as they won't have any water until you rectify your problem.
when you turn your stop tap does it turn without stopping or will it eventually tighten? if it continues to turn the stop tap is faulty, if it eventually tightens then your problem will be that your stop tap has been moved. keep looking for it your will find it eventually, if you are dead set on attempting the repair yourself then make sure you locate which fitting the leak is on, and the easiest way would be to buy push fit fittings to replace, and a section of PVC pipe, your local plumbing store will advise on what you need, PS. please be aware when using PVC pipe or fittings it is a legal requirement to bridge the PVC with earth cable, again ask the salesman to advise on what is needed.
Good luck.

Answer 6

After all this , it's a pound to a penny that you ignore everything and call a plumber !! Why DO we bother ?
The water company will tell you where the tap is for nothing.
Feel free to ignore this.

Answer 7

Try the water meter by the street/ in yard. that is usually the valve of last resort. Also plumbers should know where to shut water off.

Answer 8

Check under the stairs or near your front door. If not there, look outside for a stoptap and see if you are able to turn it off outside. That is all I can suggest.

Answer 9

Do you live in a house , A town house or a condo....this actually will help in answering this question. alot of builders will put a shut off by the water heater.