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Ask your QuestionHi, I have recently had a repair done on my stop tap. The plumber removed the outside tap as a quick repair. He came back the next day to do the repair. After he finished the job i asked him about the outside tap. He said sorry i forgot to connect it. So off her went and reconnected the outside tap. My question is he's not fitted a DCV or a way for me to isolate the water during winter. There wasn't a DCV installed before but does he not need to install one now? Thanks
Asked by Malcolm on 19th Jun 2020Best Answer
"A double check valve should be fitted to an outside tap, as there wasn’t one on it previously it would be chargeable."
Answered on 20th Jun 2020 - Member since Jul 2019 - report"You are correct an isolation valve is best used to save birst internal pipes in the winter, but this is an easy fix
Kind regards
Matt"
"Personally I would fit one, incase of frozen pipes in the winter, I would have thought it would be part of the WRAS regulations, but I would need to look this up."
Answered on 22nd Jun 2020 - Member since Aug 2017 - report"You don,t need a DCV fitted but you should have an isolation valve fitted."
Answered on 3rd Jul 2020 - Member since Jun 2020 - report"It's not a legal requirement however I would always fit an isolation valve as they are very cheap and makes it easier in future if there was ever a problem to just turn that off rather than the water to the house"
Answered on 19th Jun 2020 - Member since Jan 2020 - report"No the plumber doesn't need to install a DCV he will only install one on customers request but he could install a the bib tap with a check valve built in."
Answered on 19th Jun 2020 - Member since Dec 2019 - report"Yes a tap must have both a double check valve and a separate isolating valve Plus a drain off point to comply with the water bylaws"
Answered on 20th Jun 2020 - Member since Apr 2017 - report"There should be a check valve and an isolation valve. The check valve could be in the tap body and the isolation valve should be near the supply. The initial installation should have included these and as peace of mind one should have been fitted before reconnecting but not mandatory as it was a previous installation"
Answered on 19th Jun 2020 - Member since Jul 2019 - report"It is good practice to fit and isolation vale to any appliance/outside tap. In the winter you will not be able to drain the outside tap and it may freeze and burst."
Answered on 19th Jul 2020 - Member since Jul 2020 - report