Find your stopcock: a two-minute check every homeowner should do
The most common thing we hear on an emergency call-out is that the homeowner did not know where their stopcock was.
The usual locations
Under the kitchen sink in most housing, including Palm Bay estate semis. Older streets, check a downstairs cupboard too.
What it looks like
A small lever or wheel-style tap, sometimes a plain brass fitting needing a key.
Test it, gently
Once a year, turn it fully off and back on, since hard-water scale can make a stopcock seize faster here than in a soft-water area.
Know the outside stopcock too
Most properties have one near the boundary, belonging to the water company.
Honest price from a photo
Photos, description and postcode to hello@margateplumbers.co.uk or on WhatsApp. Same-day reply on straightforward jobs.