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Miscellaneous Valves.
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water system in your home is a complex network of
piping and valves. While the piping tends to require
little to no maintenance most of the time, plumbing
valves are a different story. These small valves
are located everywhere from under your sinks to
behind your toilets, from your water heater to your
icemaker, from your dishwasher to your clothes washer.
Also known as cut-offs, stops, or shut-offs, these
valves all perform the same function: stopping the
supply of water to a certain fixture or area of
the home. There is a large valve one on your main
water line close to where it enters the home, next
to your PRV (see" Pressure
Valves" section), allowing you or your
plumber to shut off the water to |
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your entire home, allowing maintenance
of the system. While all performing the same function,
these valves are constructed in several ways and are used
in specific locations throughout the house.
"Stops" is the name generally given to the valves
located under sinks and behind toilets. These small, usually
brass valves are used to cut off the supply of water to
one fixture. They function on a simple shaft and rubber
washer system, and often fail after repeated use. Small,
slow drips are usually the first sign of an impending
problem, and the valve should be immediately replaced.
Gate valves and ball valves are heavier-duty units used
to isolate water at specified points of your plumbing
system. They are in-line valves, meaning they are installed
between two points of a waterline. Gate valves are usually
made of brass, and employ a multi-turn handle to open
or close a thick brass "gate" inside the valve
body, thereby cutting off the supply of water. These valves
are often found on water mains, above water heaters, and
on various lines throughout the home. Ball valves are
also generally made of brass, and are operated using a
lever-type handle that swivels a core-less brass "ball"
inside the valve body. Because of this design, ball valves
require only 90 degrees of rotation to operate, rather
than the multi-turn gate valves. While both types of valves
function well, gate valves are more prone to failure after
many years due to their construction, which employs a
threaded brass rod to operate the gate. These rods often
corrode and break, rendering the valve useless.
Another type of in-line valve found in some homes (and
on most water meters) is called a check valve. This component
of the plumbing system uses a one-way "door"
inside the valve, which allows water to pass through the
valve once, and never flow back through. These valves
are generally used to eliminate the possibility of contaminants
that have entered the water in the home from passing back
out to the county or city lines. Two types of "doors"
are employed in a check valve. The first functions just
like a door in your home, swinging on a hinge inside the
valve, opening and closing with water flow. The other,
known as a spring-check, uses a plate attached to a spring
that opens and closes with pressure, allowing water to
flow around its edges, closing the valve when pressure
is equalized.
Just like any other mechanical item with moving parts,
these valves fail on occasion. Add to that the presence
of water, a highly corrosive (yes, really) liquid, and
you have the recipe for problems. We install and replace
ALL of these valves and more. We will also install additional
valves in areas of your home if you prefer, adding to
the serviceability of your plumbing system, saving you
time and money during future service calls.
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Save More Money
Take Advantage of This Special Offer When Fixing Your
Home Water Line
or Sewer Line.
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Written Estimate.
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