3 Valves Used In Residential Buildings

Valves are devices that are used to stop and regulate the flow of water. There are a variety of valves available, and each of them is suited for different applications. Most valves in residential buildings are used for control of the flow of water while large industries use valves to regulate the flow of other fluids such as oils and gases. Valves are available in different materials such as bronze, brass and PVC plastic. From among the variety of valves, we will discuss the gate valve, globe valve and float valve.

Gate Valve

Gate valves are the most common valves used in residential plumbing. As the name suggests, this valve operates by lifting or lowering a barrier or gate to allow for the flow of water. A twist type knob is located on top of the valve. They are designed to be either fully open allowing full flow or fully closed to stop the flow of water. If they are used to adjust the volume of water flow, it will result in wear and tear of these valves. Gate valves are very reliable and are used in places where the flow of water needs to be completely shut off. As gate valves have internal parts made of metal, they are prone to corrosion and may result in the valve getting stuck in the on or off position. These valves are most commonly used in applications where the water supply is required to be shut off only on rare occasions.

Globe Valve

Globe valves are used in plumbing applications where the flow of water needs to be stopped, started or regulated. Globe valve gets its name from the bulge in the body of the valve. This valve has a stopper at the end of the valve stem which is lowered or raised by twisting the valve’s knob. Water flow is stopped when the stem forces the stopper down into the ring seat. The stem can be raised in small increments to precisely control the flow of water to the desired level. These valves can be used in applications where the flow of water needs to be adjusted regularly. Because of this function, they are often used for outdoor faucets and similar utility faucets.

Float Valve

Float valve or ballcock or ball tap is a mechanism for filling water tanks with the provision to avoid overflow and back flow in the event of low water pressure. A float valve consists of a valve connected to a hollow sealed float using a lever mounted near the top of the tank. The float is ball-shaped and floats on top of the water. As the water level increases, the ball is pushed upward until it reaches a pre-set level where the mechanism forces the lever to close the valve and shut off the water flow. This kind of mechanism is found in flush tanks, underground sumps and overhead tanks.

Valves are an expensive investment, and it is important that the right valve is used for the right application in order to function efficiently in the long run.