You can prepare your home for a plumbing emergency by knowing where your stopcock and isolating valves are, checking they can be reached, and keeping a few key details to hand. A little preparation will not stop every problem, but it can make a stressful situation easier to manage.
Most of this takes only a few minutes and can be done at any time.
Find Your Stopcock Before You Need It
The stopcock, sometimes called the internal stop tap, controls the mains water coming into your home. It is often under the kitchen sink, but it can also be in a utility room, a cupboard, under the stairs or near the front door.
Once you have found it, make sure it is not hidden behind stored items. If it is very stiff, do not force it, as old valves and pipework can be damaged. A stopcock that will not turn is worth having looked at before it is needed in a hurry.
Many toilets, taps and appliances have small isolating valves on the pipes that supply them. These let you turn off the water to one fitting without shutting off the whole property. It helps to know which fittings have them and where they are.
Keep Useful Details Handy
In a plumbing emergency it is easy to forget simple things. Consider keeping a note of:
- Where the stopcock and any isolating valves are
- The contact details of your water supplier
- A plumber you can call
- Any building or flat management contacts, if you live in a shared building
If you rent, make sure you also know how to contact your landlord or letting agent quickly.
Spot Small Problems Early
Many urgent situations begin as small changes: a damp patch, a drip under a sink, or a toilet that runs longer than usual. Noticing these early gives you the chance to arrange a repair at a convenient time. These signs can have more than one cause, so they are worth having checked rather than assumed.
In colder weather, pipes in lofts, garages and outside walls may be more exposed, and some people choose to have them lagged.
Make It Easy for Everyone in the Household
Preparation works best when more than one person knows what to do. Show other adults in the home where the stopcock is and how it turns, and make sure anyone staying in the property, such as guests in a holiday let, knows who to contact if water starts escaping.
If something does go wrong, our local emergency plumbing help page explains the types of urgent plumbing problems we help with across Poole.
If you would like to know where your stopcock is or whether it works properly, a plumber can check it and explain the options.