Under the kitchen sink....

[Cozzer]

...sits the water stop tap.
(I was going to type stop****, but then thought that the site censor might alter it to "stop pineapple" or something... )
Anyway, my possibly dim question is...should it be turned to be fully open, half open, quarter....?
You see where I'm going here...
Is there a definitive answer?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Usually fully opened then backed off to line up with the pipework.

 

[Just4Fun]

I normally open it fully then back off a little. This way if the valve does get stuck in position there is the possibility of trying to move it both way in order to free it. If it is fully open - or fully closed - the only option is to try and move it one way.

 

[artie]

Is it working ok?
If it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

[Alli]

How high is your water pressure? I know where my dad lives it very high and he has it valved down to act as a restrictor otherwise the water goes into the bowl and out the other side almost hitting the ceiling!!! I keep telling him a Pressure reducing valve would be better but like he says, his system has worked for 40+ years why does he need to spend money on something, when he is happy his way works.

 

[Cozzer]

I normally open it fully then back off a little. This way if the valve does get stuck in position there is the possibility of trying to move it both way in order to free it. If it is fully open - or fully closed - the only option is to try and move it one way.

Ah yes.
See the logic there.
Thanks for that.

 

[Cozzer]

How high is your water pressure? I know where my dad lives it very high and he has it valved down to act as a restrictor otherwise the water goes into the bowl and out the other side almost hitting the ceiling!!! I keep telling him a Pressure reducing valve would be better but like he says, his system has worked for 40+ years why does he need to spend money on something, when he is happy his way works.

Good question. Not sure.
The only observation about pressure I've made is when I get an F22 error on the CH boiler upstairs. When I top up the level, the bible says to slowly allow enough in to achieve about 1.5bar on the gauge....well, I've never managed to control it enough to be lower than 1.7, almost instantly!

 

[Stevekane]

My dad, a pipe fitter taught me to always turn any valve back a good half turn to help stop it jamming up and its now just the way I do it,,,however do yourself a favour and locate the water board valve out on your boundary and use that to turn off your water, if it starts leaking its their responsibility rather than trying to replace some crappy old stopcock that leaks as soon as you look at it, and thats been sitting under the sink for 40 or 50 yrs!
Steve.

 

[Sachakins]

Agree with fully open then close half turn. Taught this as a young apprentice fitter, used this procedure on all valves, it helps prevent the valve seizing open.

 

[Cozzer]

Thanks, chaps.
Yes, the old valve was replaced by my plumber a few months ago, and it dawned on me that I'd not turned it since...that's when I started thinking. Seems as if the plumber left it 50/50, so for the minute I've opened fully, then closed fully, and then middled it like he had.
He's due again soon anyway - hopefully to sort the F22 again, as well as a boiler winter service.

 

[Spectric]

You could make life easy and replace with a 1/4 turn ball valve, they do not seize or weep and can be closed very easily. I use these for isolating pipework to outside taps and other parts of the heating system. Also for those with system boilers and normal circulating pumps you can get the same 1/4 turn valves for your pump isolation valves which again unlike the old gate valves don't seize. Pegler Pump Valves 22mm x 1 1/2" 2 Pack - Screwfix

 

[Sachakins]

Have many 1/4 ball valves seize on regular basis.

 

[TRITON]

I dont like looking in that under sink cupboard. The ubend thing plus attachments for washing machine, and dishwasher waste, plus the inlets for everything wouldn't look out of place on the international space station. Its just a bloody mess of pipes, and makes it hard to fit any sort of shelving.

I shall have to broach under there at some point.

 

[clogs]

only buy decent lever valves......the cheaper ones, the ball is chrome over steel.....NOT Stainless Steel.....
If I do any maj plumbing work under the sink I put a new lever valve above the original ........

I also use them on the outlets of my comp tanks....
I even have the same type of valve but smaller as the water drain for the tank...

water pressure here is 7 bar....a tad over 100psi....pressure regs are a must....
good thing tho the plastic water pipes are rated at 160psi so they will be used for plumbing in the air lines when the new shop is built....
100m rolls are avail.....easy peasy.....still like galve air line runs but why bother.....?

 

[Yorkieguy]

How high is your water pressure? I know where my dad lives it very high and he has it valved down to act as a restrictor otherwise the water goes into the bowl and out the other side almost hitting the ceiling!!! I keep telling him a Pressure reducing valve would be better but like he says, his system has worked for 40+ years why does he need to spend money on something, when he is happy his way works.

In turning the valve down, he doesn't reduce the water pressure of course, he reduces the volume when a tap is turned on by restricting the flow through the valve, but I guess he knows that. He'd achieve the same result by turning the sink tap on more slowly. It suits him, and that's all that matters.

 

[Krome10]

How high is your water pressure? I know where my dad lives it very high and he has it valved down to act as a restrictor otherwise the water goes into the bowl and out the other side almost hitting the ceiling!!! I keep telling him a Pressure reducing valve would be better but like he says, his system has worked for 40+ years why does he need to spend money on something, when he is happy his way works.

We had the same problem. Not only that, but I think the high pressure has more potential to cause leaks... The water company added a PRV for free; outdoors next to the meter.

You could make life easy and replace with a 1/4 turn ball valve, they do not seize or weep and can be closed very easily. I use these for isolating pipework to outside taps and other parts of the heating system. Also for those with system boilers and normal circulating pumps you can get the same 1/4 turn valves for your pump isolation valves which again unlike the old gate valves don't seize. Pegler Pump Valves 22mm x 1 1/2" 2 Pack - Screwfix

View attachment 170544

I agree, and when we had some plumbing work done after moving in I had the plumber replace valves in the airing cupboard, loft, etc for these.

I also wanted to replace the main stop-genital for one of these at a later date, but apparently it's against regs. I had a few email exchanges with some tech bod at the water company but he maintained that it was a no-no.

 

[Robbo3]

however do yourself a favour and locate the water board valve out on your boundary and use that to turn off your water, if it starts leaking its their responsibility rather than trying to replace some crappy old stopcock that leaks as soon as you look at it, and thats been sitting under the sink for 40 or 50 yrs!
Steve.

I did just that back in the 80s & the tap sheared off. It was only about 15 years old at the time. Thames Water eventually renewed them all.

 

[Cozzer]

I also wanted to replace the main stop-genital for one of these at a later date, but apparently it's against regs. I had a few email exchanges with some tech bod at the water company but he maintained that it was a no-no.

Hahahahhaha

 

[Old.bodger]

I’m constantly involved in rental upgrades.
We fit these as standard. Saves the struggle of getting to the valve in an emergency. Obviously only an ‘on’ and ‘off’ function.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/surestop-remote-stop-****-push-fit-15mm/48604

 

[paulrbarnard]

I dont like looking in that under sink cupboard. The ubend thing plus attachments for washing machine, and dishwasher waste, plus the inlets for everything wouldn't look out of place on the international space station. Its just a bloody mess of pipes, and makes it hard to fit any sort of shelving.

I shall have to broach under there at some point.

Last one I did