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[sir moanalot]

No, not a fnnaaarrr fnaaarrr joke but knowing where they are may come in handy one day !
i recently went to assist a plumber at a property and while there got the full story of what had happenned- the customer decided to pull out her washing machine to clean behind it, as she did she pulled too hard on the waterpipes at the back and snapped the plastic elbow of the cold hose. this resulted in full mains water pressure spraying across her kitchen.
the water continued to spray about the kitchen while she tried to locate the stop cock, or tap -as you guessed it, did not know where it was, hence to plumber call out.  at this stage a charging mobile phone was getting soaked and started smoking so a new search was being made for the fuse box- and now at request my arrival !!
i arrived to a soaked plumber, a frantic customer and water spraying amongst smoke. after a hunt at all the usual places i finally found the old box at the back of a larder and also there, hidden, was the stop cock further up.
losses were -one decent mobile phone, saturated lino, internally soaked washer, water damage to near units and various other small appliances.
the moral of the story is- know where your water stop cock is (free it off twice a year to stop it seizing) and know where your fuse box is -and how it works !!    

[RobG]

Know where the fuse box is. Didn`t know Miggies had a stop cock Joking aside, a valid point, always better to know these things (not forgetting the GAS shut off either.)

[Lizzie_Zoom]

No, not a fnnaaarrr fnaaarrr joke but knowing where they are may come in handy one day !
i recently went to assist a plumber at a property and while there got the full story of what had happenned- the customer decided to pull out her washing machine to clean behind it, as she did she pulled too hard on the waterpipes at the back and snapped the plastic elbow of the cold hose. this resulted in full mains water pressure spraying across her kitchen.
the water continued to spray about the kitchen while she tried to locate the stop cock, or tap -as you guessed it, did not know where it was, hence to plumber call out.  at this stage a charging mobile phone was getting soaked and started smoking so a new search was being made for the fuse box- and now at request my arrival !!
i arrived to a soaked plumber, a frantic customer and water spraying amongst smoke. after a hunt at all the usual places i finally found the old box at the back of a larder and also there, hidden, was the stop cock further up.
losses were -one decent mobile phone, saturated lino, internally soaked washer, water damage to near units and various other small appliances.
the moral of the story is- know where your water stop cock is (free it off twice a year to stop it seizing) and know where your fuse box is -and how it works !!    

Very sound advice and the freeing of the stop cock is so important in hard water areas especially.

It is also wise to locate, become acqainted, and free off, the main property stop cock outside the property, just in case the stop cock in the house is buxxered or the pipework 'street side' of it becomes damaged suddenly.

In addition living in a flat I have need to isolate the water supply to an upstairs flat after their water started appearing through my ceiling, and I only could do this as I knew where the external stop cock was!

[JesterRT]

Indeed - I had to fit a new kitchen basin/taps recently and it was in an extension to someone's house.  When they built the extension they actually built the stop cock into the wall and left a small circular access hatch that required you to reach around some pipes in the wall and down to the stop cock.  Needless to say there was no way the stop cock was moving and not a chance in hell of getting a decent grip of the handle, not with my fat arms anyway.

Out to the street and spent ten minutes reaching down the hole for the property stopcock, digging out about 2ft of mud until finally I felt the handle.

Took bloody ages to get the thing free.  One guy stopped in the street and thought I'd collapsed as I was face down almost having a fit trying to get enough pressure on the thing to turn  

[kris9128]

No, not a fnnaaarrr fnaaarrr joke but knowing where they are may come in handy one day !
i recently went to assist a plumber at a property and while there got the full story of what had happenned- the customer decided to pull out her washing machine to clean behind it, as she did she pulled too hard on the waterpipes at the back and snapped the plastic elbow of the cold hose. this resulted in full mains water pressure spraying across her kitchen.
the water continued to spray about the kitchen while she tried to locate the stop cock, or tap -as you guessed it, did not know where it was, hence to plumber call out.  at this stage a charging mobile phone was getting soaked and started smoking so a new search was being made for the fuse box- and now at request my arrival !!
i arrived to a soaked plumber, a frantic customer and water spraying amongst smoke. after a hunt at all the usual places i finally found the old box at the back of a larder and also there, hidden, was the stop cock further up.losses were -one decent mobile phone, saturated lino, internally soaked washer, water damage to near units and various other small appliances.
the moral of the story is- know where your water stop cock is (free it off twice a year to stop it seizing) and know where your fuse box is -and how it works !!    

sounds like a recipe for disaster. water and elecy dont mix, irc  :-/ :-/

[Mr Skrunts]

Crazy how different people think.

I moved here 11 years ago, and checked with the previous owner where all the bits were before my furniture came anywhere near the place.

With in a week of moving in I had a water meter fitted outside and found there was an external stop cock, which I believe most of the more modern houses have anyway.

[Mr Skrunts]

Talking of water meters.

11 years ago the water rates were £200, water meter took it straight down to £100 per year.


Water rates now £336, water materstill £100 per year.

[Andy B]

Talking of water meters.

11 years ago the water rates were £200, water meter took it straight down to £100 per year.


Water rates now £336, water materstill £100 per year.

I still wouldn't choose a meter ..... on principle!  :-/

[dbug]

Talking of water meters.

11 years ago the water rates were £200, water meter took it straight down to £100 per year.


Water rates now £336, water materstill £100 per year.

I still wouldn't choose a meter ..... on principle!  :-/

My water rates were over £50 a month - now got water meter - £25/month - haven't changed usage either

[Mr Skrunts]

Talking of water meters.

11 years ago the water rates were £200, water meter took it straight down to £100 per year.


Water rates now £336, water materstill £100 per year.

I still wouldn't choose a meter ..... on principle!  :-/

My water rates were over £50 a month - now got water meter - £25/month - haven't changed usage either

Any one with a family doing loads of washing I would stay away.  But as I am single then am also for the money saving.

[Mr Skrunts]

Talking of water meters.

11 years ago the water rates were £200, water meter took it straight down to £100 per year.


Water rates now £336, water materstill £100 per year.

I still wouldn't choose a meter ..... on principle!  :-/

Thats your choice, think what you could do with 10 years of extra savings, in my case £2670 from now based on current savings.  2 Miggy Elites could be parked out side.    

[Martin_1962]

SAves a fortune a water meter does!

[TheBoy]

Defo know where fusebox is, trips normally bang out when a light blows, and occasionally when she uses the iron...

I do know where my stopcock is - one of those new fangled ones that Anglian Water use, and they are responsible for leaks up as far as stopcock (in house), unlike most other water companies, whos responsiblility ends as pipe enters your land.

[Andy B]

SAves a fortune a water meter does!

Can save a fortune. As said above, depends how many in the house hold, how many times a day/week your washing machine goes on. Given the choice I would stay away .... and it would be something I would be looking at if/when we ever move house.  :-/
Personal opinion.  

[Andy B]

Defo know where fusebox is, trips normally bang out when a light blows, and occasionally when she uses the iron...

........

As does ours, always at a really INconvenient time.  :-?