How to Find the Stopcock

In moments of crisis, people often panic and have no idea what to do. That is why we always recommend to our clients to be proactive and prepared. There is no way to know when a leak might occur. They will require you to take action promptly to prevent water damage from occurring to your property and possibly to other properties around you. The most obvious first step is to turn off your stopcock. The stopcock is the valve which controls the mains water on your property.

We at Fantastic Services often have to ask our clients to find their stopcock and, once found, to make sure that they can turn it off! It’s a very simple thing to do and can save you a fortune. However, many people don’t even know what we’re talking about. In this article, our goal is to explain what an essential little valve the stopcock is and how to find it.

How to find the stopcock

Back to basics now. How do you turn off your stopcock? It’s not a silly question. Why should you know this if you are not doing maintenance day in, day out? Turning the stopcock clockwise shuts off the cold water supply. You can turn the water supply back on by turning the stopcock counterclockwise.

Check if your stopcock works

Even if our clients do know where their stopcock is, many forget to check it properly to ensure that it works. Stopcocks have a nasty habit of jamming up, which means that when you want to turn them off, you can’t. To prevent your stopcock from jamming, simply give it a quick turn every 6 months or so.

How do I turn off my stopcock?

Back to basics now. How do you turn off your stopcock? It’s not a silly question. Why should you know this if you are not doing maintenance day in, day out? When you turn the stopcock in a clockwise direction, the cold water supply will be shut off. You can turn the water supply back on by turning the stopcock counterclockwise.

Takeaways

• During a leak, your first job should be to find and turn off the stopcock;
• You should find your stopcock under the sink. If it’s in the building basement, you should know which one is yours;
• It’s important to turn your stopcock around every six months to prevent future jamming.

If you experience a leak, you should remember to stay calm. Once you have turned off the water from the stopcock, you will be in need of a professional plumber. At Fantastic Services, we employ reliable plumbers that can help you in your time of need. So, have no fear and give us a call!

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Have you already experienced a disaster like this? Tell us in the comments about what happened and how you managed it!

Image source: shuttestock / Foto Duets