Unusual plumbing question

puggymom

Active Member
I work on a special education classroom. I have a sink in my classroom and a student who will turn on the sink and splash water everywhere. I cannot turn off the water supply to my classroom (I’ve asked).
Is there a way to cheaply lock the faucet similar to outdoor hose locks and sprayers but for inside? I cannot find anything!

Older picture from last year but one I happened to have in my phone.
 

Sneakers

Just sneakin' around....
There should be a shutoff valve under the sink. I'm not seeing any difference between turning off that valve or putting a lock on the faucet.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
What you are looking for are the two silver valves right between the sink tailpiece and the waster arm in this image. Assuming that it has those, commercial plumbing might not. You pic didnt show up, BTW.

Undersink valves.jpg
 

puggymom

Active Member
Sorry. Apparently the picture was too big to load. I do not have access to the shut off valve (trust me I looked!!). I asked building services and they are not allowed to shut off the water supply unless it is an emergency.
The particular student has low cognitive functioning so anything I placed on it they just pull off unless it was a more permanent fixture
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
If the faucet has an aerator, unscrew it and insert a solid rubber plug or a patch of a balloon and screw it back on.
 

rio

Well-Known Member
If it is the kind of faucet with a handle that you pull up and down to turn on/off you can use a big rubber band to hold the handle onto the faucet so it can't move up and down. If it's nobs that turn you can still use rubber bands or bungi cords wrapped around the nobs and stretch it to the faucet so they can't turn. I've had to do this in the past!
 

Sneakers

Just sneakin' around....
the second adds a new fun toy to the water game
The balloon will inflate with water and eventually explode and get the kid soaked. Maybe it will deter the kid from doing it again?
Might be a fun experiment.... :popcorn:
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
Think this through, the first literally has a solid rubber plug being launched around the room, the second adds a new fun toy to the water game...... :)
Maybe I should have added that you screw the aerator back on but I thought that was understood.
 

Dakota

~~~~~~~
Sorry. Apparently the picture was too big to load. I do not have access to the shut off valve (trust me I looked!!). I asked building services and they are not allowed to shut off the water supply unless it is an emergency.
The particular student has low cognitive functioning so anything I placed on it they just pull off unless it was a more permanent fixture
sorry to hear that -I have no other suggestions but damn you are a saint. I was an aide in a classroom for special education decades ago and it is truly a test of patience. :ohwell:
 

puggymom

Active Member
sorry to hear that -I have no other suggestions but damn you are a saint. I was an aide in a classroom for special education and it is truly a test of patience. :ohwell:
Thanks. I just need just enough time to jump up and redirect them. So something that will present water from coming out a few extra seconds. Once they realize it doesn’t work my theory is they will eventually stop
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
Im willing to try anything at this point
Its pretty simple, do you have dual knobs (hot and cold) or is it the single lever type (mixed temp)? For the dual knobs there is usually a center cover to the knob that can be popped off and exposes a screw that once removed the knob comes off. With the lever type it is usually a set screw (or Allen screw) at the base of the lever that when loosened the lever can be removed.
 
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