Water Leak at Home

ForeverAddickted

Wife has just had Southern Water on the line.

They've gone round to read our meter today and have noticed that over the last three months we've had a leak somewhere as around 700 cubic meters of water have been lost, prior to an Engineering Team coming out we've got to locate the internal and external stop cocks to see whats going on.

Basically know where the external one is but unsure where the internal one might be

Does anyone have any advise or are there any plumbers on here (or that can be recommended) that can help with this?

(Note I am not very clued up on this sort of thing so if anyone has advise, you may need to use finger puppets)

ShootersHillGuru

Internal is likely to be under kitchen sink in an older property but could be under the stairs cupboard.

carly burn

Mine was under the kitchen sink.

DaveMehmet

They're normally in the kitchen somewhere. Under the sink, in the boiler cupboard etc

ForeverAddickted

ShootersHillGuru said:

Internal is likely to be under kitchen sink in an older property but could be under the stairs cupboard.

Yeah I mentioned this to the Wife as when we moved in we turned off the water to fit in a new sink etc. She's said that the one under the sink is just for the sink and washing machine - Is this the case or is it actually for the whole house?

ForeverAddickted

DaveMehmet said:

They're normally in the kitchen somewhere. Under the sink, in the boiler cupboard etc

That dont fill me with confidence, we dont even have a switch to turn the boiler on and off!!

ShootersHillGuru

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Internal is likely to be under kitchen sink in an older property but could be under the stairs cupboard.

Yeah I mentioned this to the Wife as when we moved in we turned off the water to fit in a new sink etc. She's said that the one under the sink is just for the sink and washing machine - Is this the case or is it actually for the whole house?

Could be either really. You can look to see where the external TW stop valve is situated and then guesstimate where the water supply comes in under your house.

Internal stops will have feeds off the supply after the "Stop Valve" for kitchen sink and then on up to the loft or water cistern wherever that is.

Each of those feeds could have isolation valves on them.

If you have a cistern in the loft you can check if the valve you shut down is the main stop because the water to the cistern will cease.

DaveMehmet

ForeverAddickted said:

DaveMehmet said:

They're normally in the kitchen somewhere. Under the sink, in the boiler cupboard etc

That dont fill me with confidence, we dont even have a switch to turn the boiler on and off!!

Try telling her you love her.

Addickted

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Internal is likely to be under kitchen sink in an older property but could be under the stairs cupboard.

Yeah I mentioned this to the Wife as when we moved in we turned off the water to fit in a new sink etc. She's said that the one under the sink is just for the sink and washing machine - Is this the case or is it actually for the whole house?

No - this will be the main incoming water supply to the house.

Most modern homes run off mains pressure, so turning this off will shut down all your cold water supplies. If you have a Cold Water Storage tank in your loft, some cold taps will run off this so it appears if you have turned off the mains stop cock water is still getting through to things like toilets,bath and wash hand basins.

Covered End

Addickted said:

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Internal is likely to be under kitchen sink in an older property but could be under the stairs cupboard.

Yeah I mentioned this to the Wife as when we moved in we turned off the water to fit in a new sink etc. She's said that the one under the sink is just for the sink and washing machine - Is this the case or is it actually for the whole house?

No - this will be the main incoming water supply to the house.

Most modern homes run off mains pressure, so turning this off will shut down all your cold water supplies. If you have a Cold Water Storage tank in your loft, some cold taps will run off this so it appears if you have turned off the mains stop cock water is still getting through to things like toilets,bath and wash hand basins.

Agree.

ShootersHillGuru

Addickted said:

ForeverAddickted said:

ShootersHillGuru said:

Internal is likely to be under kitchen sink in an older property but could be under the stairs cupboard.

Yeah I mentioned this to the Wife as when we moved in we turned off the water to fit in a new sink etc. She's said that the one under the sink is just for the sink and washing machine - Is this the case or is it actually for the whole house?

No - this will be the main incoming water supply to the house.

Most modern homes run off mains pressure, so turning this off will shut down all your cold water supplies. If you have a Cold Water Storage tank in your loft, some cold taps will run off this so it appears if you have turned off the mains stop cock water is still getting through to things like toilets,bath and wash hand basins.

But if when the valve is off you can check it's the main stop valve because no water will be entering through the ball valve in the cistern (tank). Those feeds to wc's and cold taps are gravity feeds from the cistern. They will simply empty the cistern of water.

cafcledbury

Message sent . I will help you.

cafcfan

The bad news is that you also need to be aware that pretty much as soon as the water pipe leaves the meter unit and crosses your property's boundary, the responsibility for paying for fixing it becomes yours rather than the water company's.

The good news is that they should refund you for the water and pro rata sewage charges that arose because of the leak.

SuperCliveMendonca

We haven't got Water Leak at home this season ? Give it a couple of seasons though....

RedChaser

cafcfan said:

The bad news is that you also need to be aware that pretty much as soon as the water pipe leaves the meter unit and crosses your property's boundary, the responsibility for paying for fixing it becomes yours rather than the water company's.

The good news is that they should refund you for the water and pro rata sewage charges that arose because of the leak.

If however the leak is as a result of the meter being poorly fitted and is the cause of leakage within the boundary of your property they are still responsible as was the case at my property. No charge for the remedial work and refund obtained on water charges. Good luck.

Chippycafc

May i suggest (i know after the event) you get a water supply pipe cover it costs about £12 a year.