Hi all,

I've tried searching the forum first, but cannot find any information on this question.

Does anyone live/lived in an apartment block and have experience with locating their apartment water stop tap? I don't mean for the whole block, I mean the tap for just my apartment. I've never lived in an apartment block before I moved here, always having lived in a standard UK semi. Typically the water stop tap/stop cock from the mains supply into the house can be found under the kitchen sink (or similar). I'd be surprised if there wasn't one for each individual apartment, but I'm happy to be corrected.

I was idly wondering over the weekend how I'd stop the water if anything untoward happened with say the toilet cistern or dishwasher and I had to stop the water flow quickly. I looked all around the apartment, the bathroom, kitchen and toilet area and couldn't locate anything remotely resembling a stop top. I don't need it (knock on wood), but now I'm way too curious and would really like to know. I'm sure there must be one somewhere close by. If I had to wait for the caretaker to come out and there's a leak, I'd flood goodness knows how many other apartments to the side and below me.

Thanks.

AlexS

There is seldom a separate stop-cock for each apartment. You have just the one tap/stop-cock for the whole building, usually in the washing machine room.

Well, it seems that I am indeed surprised. A good way to start the week. :-).

Wow, that would be pretty inconventient for the whole block if something needed repairing or altering then.

Definitely the case here. If someone needs to shut off the water, they advise everyone first.

Tom

Most inlets to any appartement will have a small piece between the wall and the pipe leading to the tap or device with a small scew in it.

Turn the screw 90° and this turns the water off for the particular device.

The stop cock will be for the whole block

Well, i have a similar issue.
I believe there is a pipe failure next to the closet because the floor is wet and i hear drops hitting the floor, but i cant stop the water and i have to wait for repair man. I assume i will have to pay for the wasted water... since i cant stop the measuring of this water...

Water is incredibly cheap. If the water is dripping slowly you're talking about a few raps.

Most modern apartments have separate stop cocks. They definitely will if the supplies are individually metered.

The cost of the water is the least of your worries compared to the aggravation of property damage, repairs, etc. I'd get your repair man out there asap....

Usually you will find 4 stop cocks wherever the Supply riser is ("Steigzone") Often this is also where the heating pipes all join to their headers. Two will be for the heating (supply and return), two will be for fresh water (Hot, Cold). Quite common for the entrance hall cupboard to have a false back, with all that stuff behind.


Individual faucets and devices usually have an isolation valve right where they come out of the wall.

I had this problem. The handyman showed me that there is a small cap over a piece of pipe sticking out where the water comes in from the wall under the sink. Take the cap off and underneath is a tiny screw which is turned with a screwdriver. This isolates /shuts down the individual water supply.

Otherwise, the main tap for water supply to your apartment should be in the basement, but I would be reluctant to suggest you do that unless you know what you are doing.

Also, the toilets have their own valve. Pop off the top and you'll see a small valve. For the other toilets where the cistern is built into the wall, it's still there, but requires a bit more effort to get at it.

First thing I did when we got our house was check all of the stop-cocks for functionality. The ones that fed the individual 'circuits' all needed stripping down and rebuilding to prevent the need of hiring a gorilla from the zoo to close it.

The main valve was OK (thank God).

I was surprised by the whole industrial installation - I mean, a single house with a 2 inch water main at 8 bar (phenomenal leak if that broke), filter, pressure reducing station, valves with take-off sample pipes (each with it's own little valve)...

Anyway, when they take the meter reading, the guy uses a non-intrusive device to quickly check for leaks. Quite cool.

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- Thanks
Chris