How to free a jammed stopcock that will not turn.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- How frustrating!! Is your stopcock jammed solid and you cannot move it? Here's how to free it and get it working again!
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Just wanted to say thank you....from someone who hasn't been able to unsieze my stopcock for ages, then earlier at 3am, problem with toilet constantly flushing ......only way to stop the water till morning was to shut the stopcock off.....your video has saved the night's sleep 😁 Much appreciated 👍
You're very welcome!
Thanks for saving my life. Did some work in the home and turned the water off. Tried to turn it back on and the tap was ceased. Watched your video and now all fine apart from tap head is now broken so need a wrench to turn off and on now. Love your idea about a secondary tap above it. Very clever. Thanks again.
You're welcome!
The ring end of a spanner works a treat as well, plenty of leverage
That is right it does.
Thanks mate, you have given me half a clue where to start with this. My tap head broke off, this video is great at giving me a shot at fixing. thanks !
Brilliant advice here. How simple but how genius is the idea of putting the new stop cock in a better spot and leaving the old one on. Superb!
Really helpful video, thank you. Good to see what's inside the stopcock, I now understand WHY some methods work better than others and what to do if all else fails. Other videos I've watched haven't covered that.
No problem Zoe.
Hi iv'e watched a few of your videos now, amazingly enough I've needed the ones about 3 way diverter and this one about stop taps so thanks very much, it's good to see in these times some people are still willing to help, thanks again. 👍
Glad I could help
NICE video! I replace all of those type of valves with 1/4 turn steel ball valves! So far I've not had much trouble but I also try to remember to turn it closed/ open once a month
Then you are an idiot, 1/4 turn valves are not full bore they are service valves not stop taps
leslie straw They are if you use full bore type. You really need to check facts before commenting and making yourself look like an idiot.
Meant to say, good sensible well explained video, trouble is those old stop cocks always do that, and if you had an emergency you would not want to have to do that, they require regular maintainance, as you are doing, and all my years in plumbing never seen a sc with a dc, just shows, well done
Thanks Paul.
Whats a "dc"?
this is great, I have exactly the same stopcock. I was looking for guide like this everywhere, thank you
No problem.
You're a born teacher mate. McIntyre
Thanks, I try.
Don't always think you are out of the woods even if you do get the valve to shut.
I had to deal with a sticky gate valve once. Got it to close after a little fuss n fiddling. Fun came when I went to open it. The gate jammed in the body, I hadn't shut it that tight either. Then, trying to free it, the shaft broke.
It was barrel in, to copper out.
I fitted new gate valve downstream of old one. I then had to freeze the pipe above the now broken valve, strip the gate out of it, then re-assemble it, a bit like you suggested with fitting secondary S/C. As you say, not best practice, but it was in old flats and I couldn't find anyway to isolate it.
Must admit, it was a twtchy bum moment, just in case the ice plug failed while the old G/V was in pieces. There was a fair head of water to the valve.
That was a fun day at the office.
All the fun of being a plumber.
Just bung the tank feed. Easy. or drain tank
A very usefull video. Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Have a lovely Christmas time. Greetings from Belgium :-)
Thank you! You too!
Great video, did what you said and free’d up 2 stopcocks
Excellent!
Hi Derek. My mother (who has MS) has a problem with her hot water (not the smaller heating) tank. It has been trickling water through the over flow for around a year. Ive only just been made aware of this. In the roof space there is a stop tap that links the mains to hot water tank. I tried your advice and the tap wont budge. I even took the outdoor pole that turns off outdoor stop taps into the roof space and still no luck. The irony here is that my late father was a plumber!
Im going to try out your advice with the one under her sink which is also stuck. I`ll keep you posted.
Good luck.
One way that often prevents a tap getting jammed open is to turn it as far as it will go then a quarter turn back the other way.
+Nigel2AB . Yes that is right, I have been that for years.
100% of jammed SVs are caused by risk-averse irrational phobic people who think a valve the slightest amount less than 100% open would stop their washing machine working properly, ... so they ram the valve open hard against stop and then leave that way to seize up.
💕🇺🇲🇺🇦 Enjoyed watching your video and it's always nice to learn new things, thanx. 💙🌻🙏
No problem.
Main thing is to never turn on the tap fully open till it binds up and leave it there, turn it fully open and then turn it a full turn back this will help greatly to stop it seizing open.
Thanks.
Brilliant explanation
thanks.
love how electric is grounded to the water pipes
Richard Taylormade it is normal practice, in case the pipework becomes live somehow (faulty appliance or wiring) to make sure there's equipotential all the way across.
It's not electric it's the copper that's earthed as reasons stated above
@@gomalibusurf6098 This isn't the USA.
Very useful. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thank you easy to follow ! I will give it ago
Please do!
thanks. loosening that one piece helped.
+david bigandt . No problem.
Most helpful! Wrech trick worked
Dissolve the limescale with vinegar. It took about 1 minute to work loose.,
Cheers Pete.
@@dereton33 Thank you. TH-cam is SUCH a great resource ...
Mine is horizontal so it's hard to turn as I have hardly any space to use pliers or spanner to turn it. Maybe I need to just go outside and turn it off instead , I know hes said no oil but I've stayed mine with wd40 to see if it helps ?
Worth a try Viki.
Super information 👍
Thank you 🙂
Thank you.
My father had a tool like that. Can anyone please tell me what it's called? Adjustable spanner?
Footprints.
@@dereton33 Footprints?
What about a bit of lime scale remover?
No chance.
@@dereton33 even if left on for few hours 😁👍
@@dereton33 Again No Chance.
J. Calveley..
Good job 👍
Hamza is my son
Thanks 👍
Thanks, very help full
No problem.
Thanks
No problem
I need to replace the handle section in an old style stop cock. Will a modern style of the same size fit.
Depends on your luck it s a 50 50.
I've tried this and the handle turns with the nut when I loosen it! I guess they are seized together. And the previous house owner had left it wide open :(
Yes.
Aww my tap head turns with the packing box. Yours stays where it is so now I'm confused.
Just hold the gland with some pump pliers while you turn the tap.
What about if its the main stopcock for the supply to the house? How do you turn the water supply off to repair or replace it if the tap is stuck/broken?
+RonniePeterson contact your local water authority.
Top advice as usual, thanks.
Which way is it to turn ON?? My tap is stuck tight! Eg. Ceased up!
Clockwise on.
Good Video - although the 1st thing i would have done was put that porcelain milk jug in a safe place!
thanks very clear and precise!
Thanks.
Thanks
No problem.
Thanks. The best way to avoid the problem is to partly close and then reopen the thing every few months, same for gatevalves. Also, I don't leave them fully open - eighth of a turn clockwise from open.
Easier said than done, unless you write it on your calendar every quarter. Last suggestion is good.
I've had this issue before with my neighbours house we didn't undo that nut we managed to use wd40 and kept working it backwards and forwards . I never knew you could release that nut. I will try it in future . Thank you
You can use a salt water proof grease on the shaft once it's fully open then screw it all the way closed this great will keep calcium from building up. Also , you should crack these valves a couple times a yr to keep them free. Exercising them it's called.
Right I'm going in... In half an hour I'll either be standing knee high in water or my stopcock will be free! Thanks for explaining this so amazingly well!
Good luck with it.
With your tuition I managed to free my stopcock - it's now working like new. Many thanks :)
No problem Paul.
perfect blend of info and speed
Thank u very much!! Im a woman and never even had tools in my hand, after watching ur video, i managed to open the valve which havent been open for at least 10years !! Ure my hero and lifesaver ❤️
Great job! Well done Kris.
Superb video. One point the electrician should have put the water bonding clamp just after the stop cock before the branch. He or she didn't i guess as the pipework installer gave him no straight copper to put it on as is usually the case ! The bend looks shallow enough though to get a decent contact. Would look cluttered but under sink affairs is not about aesthetics
Thanks for the info.
Can't believe how many solutions you came up with for this problem!
Ha ha thanks but after 55 years encountering them, I come up with just about every fault.
Great advice. Just freed up my seized tap in about 2 mins.
No problem Simon.
I have always found with stopcocks that they tend not to jam up if after turning them on fully that you turn it back 1/4 turn so it is not left in the full position.
Yes I found the same.
Thank-you Al !! Mine was REALLY stiff and took a lot of turning back and forth! Very stubborn. But it budged eventually :-) brilliant videos you do
Thanks Hollie.
If mineral deposits are the problem, rather than soaking in oil, soak it in vinegar, the warmer the better.
Thanks for the tip.
Awesome video, very helpful in my time of need! 🙏🙏🙏
No problem.
Good practical advise from a guy who clearly has seen, and resolved, lots of problems. Clear and easy to follow with no drama. Many thanks.
No problem
You had the solution. "Loosen the packing box with a spanner" (we call it a wrench). I looked at five videos and yours was the only one with the solution. Thank you very much.
No problem.
Also called a Crescent wrench
thank you, you are a legend, just saved me 50 on a plumber. well done.
amazing video, great explanation, helped me out a lot. simple and easy to understand and went over a lot of "what ifs" that I would have been worried about otherwise. thanks for the video!
No problem.
You are amazing!!! - I did exactly what you said and it worked!! Saved me fortune from calling a plumber and feeling super proud I could actually do it!!! Thank you xxx
No problem.
Wire brush the tap spindle to remove all limescale first. Ease off the collar nut (packing box) back & forth till it come free, lift collar nut right out & add (ideally) silicone oil (no smell) & replace it, but not too tight. Ease the tap back & forth, increasing the range bit by bit. DON'T force it, or damage will occur. Add heat if necessary. Do NOT use Stilsons cos they chew up the tap. Shut the water off at the meter, replace the washer, or the whole tap. Or, if it is beyond access / repair, add a second stop tap above it, having first dismantled / lubricated / reassembled it first. I have seen taps far worse than this.
Thanks for the info.
If it's not just stiff through a bit of lime scale and the tap is really seized, then the simplest and quickest repair is to replace the valve assembly, but if your in an old house you will probably find the thread on the stopcock is Imperial while that shiny new one is metric.
Thanks for the info.
I'm not saying this isn't a good video but it's never as easy as they make it look. For a start one problem was just getting a simple footprint wrench such as he's using above. There is a Wickes, a Screwfix and a specialist plumber's merchant store all just a few minutes walk away from here and a B&Q a bit further and none of them had one, I had to order one - so a day and a half wasted. I have a pipe wrench but it's too big for that space. Anyway I loosened the 'packing box' thing as at 1:37 in the vid which loosened OK but it didn't help on mine - I had originally been able to get about half a turn by hand but after loosening that part I couldn't even get that. i know the stop cock worked four years ago because I changed the kitchen taps above it back then so it's bloody annoying.
Very informative video. Hopefully I can get my tab unjammed before the guy from Southern water arrives!
Thanks mate! Got mine unjammed thanks to your video. Needed a wet rag to help grip onto it while laying on the floor, but otherwise all sorted.
No problem 👍
Another brilliant little video. Just bought an old house and I have little plumbing knowledge, so far learnt to remove a radiator and repaired the stop cock thanks to this chap. Saved me money and have some new skills.
Thank you 👍🏼
No problem kev.
WD40 is magic. Leave it for as long as you can, and if still not moving, wax candle light a little heat then try, works all the time. Maybe after heating spray more WD40
Thanks for the advice.
Leave the water on while you do this first bit? . . . . . . Of course it's on, yer trying to turn it OFF!
Terence Douglas At the mains stopcock in the road (which is what he said on the video). The inside cock is not the only stop point.
HE MEANS DONT TURN IT OFF FROM THE WATER MAIN OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY
Thanks, your video helped me (:, especially your suggestion of using a footprint tool to start the turn. I didn't have one, but a plumber's wrench worked.
Pleased you sorted it ok.
Footprints, spanners, torches, Stilsons, packing boxes... Do you Aussies speak English? :) :) :) Great little video!
Ha ha Aussies!!! Try cockney east London.
Root cause was years of calcium buildup. This valve will never properly shut or open. Has to be replaced.
Some cannot be rescued.
Mine was covered in green stuff round the shaft gland. Cleaned with wire brush, WD40 on shaft, waited 5 mins, more WD40 and it worked loose by hand. Might not work for every tap, depends where its seized.🤨
Thanks for the info.
If you cannot stop the gland leaking on a stop tap, do not keep tightening the gland but turn off the stop tap and the slacken the gland nut and screw it fully out, get some PTFE and twist it to make a cord, wrap a few inches the PTFE cord around the tap stem and push it down into the gap between tap body and the stem with a small screwdriver, now refit the gland nut and this will compact down the PTFE to make a new gland seal and stop water dripping past gland. You can actually buy PTFE solid cord specifically for this purpose, but twisting PTFE take to make a cord is pretty good..
Thanks.
Not for the first time, you saved me. Thanks again for sharing your expertise - much appreciated!
No problem.
How do you insert the new stop tap when the pipes either side are fixed and cannot be pushed apart? I have managed it with Yorkshire fittings by filing off the internal central ring but that is not an option with a more substantial stop cock.
Cut the pipe further back about a foot or so if you have the room, by inserting a small piece of pipe you will be able to insert fully into the stopcock, bend the copper out and into the coupling above.
I’m currently in this situation.
I’ve been spraying the valve for a couple of days. DOH !
Complete waste of time. Should know better as I’m a machine setter but the fear of breaking the stopcock and not being able to turn off the water scared the shit out of me
Keep trying.
My plumper trying doing this has broken the turning handle. He did his work by closing the mains off in the street. But now I have no possibility to turn the water off in my property (for repairs) as this one is broken. I wonder how can I get it fixed?
You will also have to turn the water off outside.
Thanks for the video - I was able to free a stopcock which had been jammed for months - now I’ve been able to turn it I realised that the last time I’d had plumbing work done the water pressure hadn’t been turned back up - so I put up with Luke warm showers and slow running taps for no reason!
O well it happens.
Mine completely welded itself I think Wd40 does nothing tried get all kinds of leverage but nope ain't moving and the candle trick won't do nothing as the pipes ice cold and dripping so no chance of warming it never loosend the packing thing its 2 much effort this is my fucking incompetent landlords job but I'll try again but I literally cant really even wiggle the tap
How about turning off the water outside then putting a new full way lever valve above the stopcock.
nice video! i'll have to try this tomorrow when i go back to my doer upper
Excellent and simple-to-understand video. Yes, we are in Kent on the North Downs and chalk is a nuisance. The problem we have is that slowly, bit by bit, the flow of cold water from the taps has greatly reduced, in fact when running a shower, the cold water flow stops completely. I believe our stopcock is seized in the partially closed position and will try you method to free it. Being a 100yr old house it is of course in a very inaccessible position and could do with turning 90 degrees as well. Thanks once again.
+Paul Narramore good luck with it.
Bluebell hill vicinity?
The shower is most likely a seized pump.
I have a blue plastic tap with a red button on it, in a cupboard near my kitchen sink.
Is it a stopcock and what's the red button for?
maybe a washing machine or dish washer spurred off hot pipe? I've only lived in old houses they've all had taps that look like one in the vid... even the new one shown is that 'old fashioned' tap shape. Thought I'd give you some sort of answer as you could be waiting! I've had stopcock in my bathroom before, they're not always under the kitchen sink!
Thank you for the video. You are an absolutely diamond. Couldn't unjam the stopcock - stuck solid. Thought I'd have to call in a plumber but followed your instructions and hey presto! Thanks again.
No problem. Great team by the way.
Hi
If you can please share any information on how I can looses or Open up a Jammed Brass Rose Water Sprinkler. .
I suppose the Threads Inside Jammed Due to Corrosion.
Spray plenty of WD 40 on it first.
well jamming seized is exactly what happens when they're turned too far open and twisted hard against the stop.
Trouble is if you dont know, you just would think it was ok to do that.
I think that you forgot to mention, that you should drain down the rising main supply, once you have turn off the water supply outside, it would be automatic to youi, but not
to amatuers, and putting oil on the valve, not a good idea, toxic, you would be better off, soaking it in a cup full of vinegar as this would descale it, which is the usual problem., oil will not descale it. and when you open a stop valve fully, give at least a half turn in, so that if and when it seizes you will be able to turn in both directions to loosen it free. also when fitting a new stop valve undo the headwork from the body of the valve, as they are put together in the factoiry so tight you would have a job and a half trying to dismantle it in situ, I like your quality conex stop valve, don't forget to put the valve in the right way around, there is an " arrow on the side of the valve, showing the direction of flow, other wise no water will come through.
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for this excellent video.
Is this safe to do or can it end up in emergency if it's really badly stuck?
Every plumbing job has it`s risk but usually the worse you can do is to snap the handle off.
Seriously, if you've never tested your internal stop cock then your external one isn't likely to work either. You need to turn both on and off every year to keep them servicable. Also be aware after about 30 years the rubbers on these are likely to have perished so one day you'll find you can't turn them off and also the top rubber which stops the water leaking out when the tap is on is also going to break one day, and this will happen when you do turn it off and on.
Thanks for the info Nicholas.
I spent an hour wedged under my kitchen sink trying to free a jammed stop-cock. Went to pub in frustration, someone suggested 'just put a new one in'. Next day, £4.50 at local plumbers, a couple of turns of ptfe tape round the old olives on the pipes and I am Robert's nephew. A 10 minute job sorted by stepping back and thinking. Still OK 20 years later.
I have two old stop cocks which I have left in line, fully open which would not shut, and managed to put new replacements after them when the waterboard turned the water off and it works a treat and I dont see it as bad practice. I can't find the roadside stop cock. When eventually the water board turn up again to dig up the road up and turn the water off I will remove all the defunct stop taps in my house and install a brand new internal stop cock.
Thanks Dave.
Brilliant just unloosened my stopcock, thank you.
No problem.
Hi I have phoned umpteenth time to plumbers who say you can't free a seized stopcock as it will not be the same if it's freed, that's shocking from so many plumbers in my area. I have a burst pipe in garden, and the insurance will not pass said repair until I fix seized stopcock in kitchen? There is a stop valve in street? What's a seized stopcock got to do with a burst pipe in garden under my monobloc path?
Once they are freed, they can sometimes not work properly, but of course, you do not know until you try. Most plumbers will avoid this sort of job.
@@dereton33 Thank you for responding, yes your right no plumber will entertain it 😕 and the plumbing company for insurance will not fix burst pipe in garden because of internal stopcock, even though there is a working stop valve in street, many plumbers I spoke to on phone said, they would not bother if internal stopcock was seized anyway as they would use the stop valve in street to isolate water coming into property and to replace broken pipe in garden. Back to square one, insurance company are going to employ another company to look at issues in garden. Cheers 👍
Thanks again for your video.We are selling are house and we have a surveyor coming in a couple of days.I am going to try some of the things you have suggested.Thanks again.
Best of luck!
You mention a number of to "turn off water off out the front" a number of times . How is this done ? It would be good to have video to show where to find where to turn it off outside and how to turn it off . What if this is seized as well ? A working stop cock is very important . You don't want to find the stopcock is seized when you have an emergency and the stopcock is seized .
I have a video on this already. Check my channel.
Went to uk to clean out an old council house as the house would be empty for some time I nori e the stop cock was frozen solid due to calcium build up I could not move it the lad next door so we switched the water off from the mains.
Open up all the taps to get rid of the water in them then closed them back up just in case the wate was switched back on from the mains at the road,
Great stuff.
A really good video again, thanks
Useful video for the novice. Soaked my seized stop cock in limelite lime scale remover after I removed it. Freed it off a treat after only a 30 min soak.
Useful tip Bob thanks.
If it’s under your sink your lucky mine is under a shelf and I can only access it by pulling the bloody washer out really must get around to moving it !
A job for later. Ha ha.
Great video, I have very old valve and spend a lots of times today to close the stop clock , nothing happen , applied a lots of oil , still didn't work, we tried and tried , nothing happen , I am going to try the way you explained and showed clearly.Many thanks
No problem good luck with it.
Never had a problem in 70 Years wind the stopcock out fully turn it back half a turn absolutely no problem
thanks.
TH-cam algorithm decided I need help with my stopcock, getting it started is more of the problem these days 🤔
Ha ha very good