A leak never picks a good time. Whether it is a drip that has turned into a puddle under the sink or water coming through the kitchen ceiling, the first few minutes matter most. Here is what to do, in order, while you wait for a plumber.
1. Turn off the water at the stopcock
The stopcock (also called the stop tap or stop valve) turns off the mains water to the whole house. In most homes it is under the kitchen sink. If it is not there, try a downstairs toilet, a utility room, the airing cupboard or under the stairs: it is usually close to where the water pipe comes into the house.
Turn it clockwise until it stops. If it is stiff, do not force it so hard that it snaps: a cloth for grip usually helps. If it will not move at all, there is often an outside stop tap under a small cover in the pavement or the front path, but it may need a special key.
If the leak is coming from one tap, toilet or appliance, look for a small isolation valve on the pipe leading to it. A quarter turn with a flat screwdriver, so the slot sits across the pipe, closes it.
2. Keep away from the electrics
Water and electricity do not mix. If water is coming through a ceiling near a light fitting, or is anywhere near sockets or the fuse box, turn the electricity off at the fuse box, but only if you can reach it without standing in water. Do not touch switches or plugs that are wet. If in doubt, stay out of the room.
3. Turn off the heating
Switch off the boiler and any immersion heater. Once the water is off, they should not be left running without it.
4. Drain the cold water from the pipes
With the stopcock closed, open the cold taps in the kitchen and bathroom and flush the toilets. This empties the water left in the pipes, so less of it ends up coming out of the leak.
5. Catch what you can
Buckets, bowls and towels under the leak, and anything valuable moved out of the way. If the ceiling is bulging with water, keep clear of it: a sagging ceiling can come down.
6. Take a few photos
Before you start mopping up, take photos of the damage and where the water came from. If you need to make an insurance claim, your insurer will want them.
7. Call a plumber
Tell them where the leak is, what you have turned off, and whether anything is still dripping. That helps them bring the right parts.
Find your stopcock today
The best thing you can do about a leak happens before you have one. Find your stopcock now, check it turns, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is. If it is seized solid, get it looked at: a stopcock that will not close is no help in an emergency.
If you have a leak in North Leeds, call us for an emergency call out.