Lever valve as main indoor stopcock - Is this ok?

[DarrenThomas]

My kitchen has a length of (I think lead) pipe coming out of the concrete floor with an old stopcock on it. When the boiler was moved when we bought the place the installer couldn't shut the water off at the valve and so installed a lever type above it. No idea why he didn't remove it first.

I've had someone come to quote for a job who told me that if the house were to flood and we needed to claim the insurance company would say that the lever valve it's the wrong type and not pay out.

Fact or fiction?

I only ask as the other guy didn't mention it at all. So either one is not paying attention to my house or the other is lying/out of touch with new regs. As a custard I have no idea!

 

[Deleted member 25704]

My kitchen has a length of (I think lead) pipe coming out of the concrete floor with an old stopcock on it. When the boiler was moved when we bought the place the installer couldn't shut the water off at the valve and so installed a lever type above it. No idea why he didn't remove it first.

I've had someone come to quote for a job who told me that if the house were to flood and we needed to claim the insurance company would say that the lever valve it's the wrong type and not pay out.

Fact or fiction?

I only ask as the other guy didn't mention it at all. So either one is not paying attention to my house or the other is lying/out of touch with new regs. As a custard I have no idea!

I would argue that its ok, but there is always the chance I could be wrong!

To support my own assertion I would argue that some types of lever valve are necessary, because they allow 'full flow' compared to traditional stop-taps, and this is important where flow rates and/or pressure is poor.

The type of lever valve is important and any valve fitted on a plumbing system must be listed in the 'materials and fittings directory'. Provided the make of your valve e.g. yorkshire, crane, etc is listed in the directory, then I am sure you could argue for its approval in some way.

 

[Howsie]

A stopcock should be a stopcock IMHO. You can fit a full bore lever after it for convenience if you wish.

 

[AWheating]

it should be a stopcock, but i have no idea if it can effect your house insurance. check your small print.

 

[Skelly87]

Ring your insurance company and ask

 

[Best]

Bit weird to say a lever valve won't pass insurance as it is actually a very easy valve to turn off & with a quarter turn. You have to do what they say though. Stopcocks usually are seized or too tight to turn off & often have no washer left in them.
Only issue with a lever valve is it would be too easy knocked on again by accident or deliberately, unless the lever was removed once off.

 

[acecharly]

Ring your insurance company and ask

Simples...!!!:wink_smile:

 

[DarrenThomas]

Ring your insurance company and ask

I shall, but I'm somewhat doubtful that a guy on the help desk is going to have a clue. I imagine that when you make a claim for water damage the person they send round has some background in plumbing.

Bit weird to say a lever valve won't pass insurance as it is actually a very easy valve to turn off & with a quarter turn. You have to do what they say though. Stopcocks usually are seized or too tight to turn off & often have no washer left in them.
Only issue with a lever valve is it would be too easy knocked on again by accident or deliberately, unless the lever was removed once off.

Ours is at the back of the sink cupboard so unless the kitchen has been ripped out it's not easy to knock at all, I can get to it easily though, just on my knees with my head under the sink which isn't traditionally how I scamper around the kitchen

I just didn't know if there was some specific rule in the book of plumbing that says "all main stopscocks in houses shall be xyz". I thought that plumbers might know.

 

[acecharly]

It has a high degree of control over the flow into a property. A lever valve has nowher near as much. I would if i was a betting man which i am, say that you would need a stopcock before any branch off, idealy in a location that was accessable. The fact that the old valve is still in is imaterial solong as its not leaking. It will merely be forming part of the line aslong as its open.

 

[JCplumb]

Insurance companies will do their best to worm out of paying you, in my opinion it isn't too far-fetched to believe that they would use this as an excuse to not pay out.
Get a plumber out to replace the lever valve with a proper stopcock to be sure (or to service your original stopcock and remove the lever valve completely), it won't cost the earth and you can then be certain that your insurers won't be able to worm out of it that way.
There's no problem having a new stopcock after the original one, it's common practice, especially where the original one is connected to lead.