Where is my stopcock?
Usually under the kitchen sink. In older Cork houses I've seen them in the hot press, under the stairs, in the utility room or tucked away in a cupboard. Turn it clockwise to shut off the water.
What do I do once I find it?
- Turn off the stopcock: Clockwise to shut off the water.
- Isolate the tank, if you have one: A cold water tank in the attic can still feed certain pipes, so its outlet may need isolating as well.
- Turn off the heating and immersion: Once the water is off.
- Open the cold taps: To drain what's left in the pipes.
- Then open the hot taps: Only when the water heating is fully off.
What about the electricity?
This is the big one. If water is coming through a ceiling near lights or sockets, don't go touching switches or standing in the water. Get the electricity isolated only if you can do it safely.
Should I try to find the leak myself?
Get the water stopped, move your valuables somewhere dry and leave the repair to us.
No. Don't start pulling ceilings apart or forcing a seized stopcock. I've seen people make a bad situation worse trying to find a leak themselves.