Find your stopcock today - not during a flood. The thirty seconds it takes to locate and test it now can save you thousands later.
If a pipe is bursting right now, skip to "Turn it off" below. Stopping the water comes before everything else.
Where Your Stopcock Usually Hides
- Under the kitchen sink
- The most common spot - a brass tap or lever on the pipe at the back of the cupboard.
- Downstairs cupboard or hallway
- Often near the front door, in an airing cupboard, or under the stairs.
- Bathroom or utility room
- Sometimes behind the toilet, the washing machine, or in the airing cupboard.
- Outside boundary stop tap
- A small metal cover marked "W" at the edge of your property - needs a stopcock key.
Turn It Off
Righty-tighty. Turn the stopcock fully clockwise until it stops. Don't force a stiff one - see below.
Run the kitchen cold tap to drain the remaining water in the pipes and confirm the flow has stopped.
If the water is off for a while, turn off the immersion heater or water heater so it doesn't run dry.
Internal vs External Stop Tap
- Internal stopcock
- Inside your home, this isolates your property only. It's the one you'll use 99% of the time.
- External stop tap
- At the boundary, it shuts the supply before it reaches your home - useful if the internal one fails.
If the Stopcock Is Stuck
- Old stopcocks seize up - never force it, you can snap the spindle and make the flood worse
- Use the outside boundary stop tap instead if you have a stopcock key
- No joy? Your water supplier can shut off the supply at the street in an emergency
- Once the crisis is over, ask a plumber to replace a seized stopcock with a quarter-turn lever valve
Once the Water Is Off
- Open taps on the lowest floor to drain the system and relieve pressure
- Move valuables and electricals away from any leak
- Take photos for your insurer before you mop up
- Call a plumber to make the permanent repair before you turn the supply back on
Test Your Stopcock Before You Ever Need It
A stopcock you've never touched is exactly the one that seizes when you need it most. Take two minutes today to find it and check it actually turns - it's the difference between a contained leak and a flooded kitchen.
Make sure you can reach it without unpacking a cupboard. Everyone in the house should know where it is.
Close it fully, check the kitchen cold tap stops, then reopen it. Do this once or twice a year so it never seizes.
If it's stiff or weeping, ask a plumber to swap it for a modern quarter-turn lever valve next time they visit.
What If You Rent?
Tenants can and should still turn the water off in an emergency - it limits damage and is exactly what your landlord would want. After that, report it.
- Turn the water off yourself first - don't wait for permission in a flood
- Then call your landlord or letting agent's emergency line
- Keep photos and a note of the time for any dispute
- For a genuine out-of-hours emergency, a tenant can usually arrange a call-out - check your agreement
Consider a Smart Leak Sensor
If you've ever come home to a leak, a smart water sensor or automatic shut-off valve is worth a look. They sit on the incoming supply, detect an unusual flow, and can cut the water automatically - handy in a loft, under a bath, or in a property you leave empty for stretches. Some insurers even offer a small discount for fitting one.
The best time to prepare is before anything goes wrong: lagging pipes now prevents the most common winter burst - see how to stop your pipes freezing. Already flooding? Stop the water, then get an emergency plumber on the way.