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All About Plumbing Valves & Pumps
Types of Plumbing Valves
Valves play a pivotal role in controlling water flow to plumbing fixtures or halting the flow in emergency situations. Without valves, managing water pressure or flow rates would be impossible, and addressing issues like burst pipes or major leaks would become a daunting task. At the very least, each plumbing fixture requires a shut-off valve.
Our Lockport pump and valve plumbing services extend to expert support for various valve types, including:
- Main Water Shut-Off Valves: Positioned near the main water supply line, this valve regulates water supply to the entire home. It serves as a swift shut-off point in emergencies such as burst pipes, major leaks, floods, or during maintenance tasks like fixture replacements or repairs.
- Fixture Shut Off Valves: Installed close to individual fixtures like sinks and toilets, these valves enable rapid water shut-off during emergencies or when conducting maintenance on a specific fixture.
- Pressure-Reducing Valves: Maintaining optimal water pressure is crucial, and these valves use a spring-loaded mechanism to regulate pressure, preventing excess stress on pipes and conserving resources during tasks like dishwashing.
- Gate Valves: Operating with a sliding wedge for on-off action, gate valves offer tight shutoff without leakage. They are ideal for emergencies and applications involving fluids with large particles or high viscosity.
- Ball Valves: With a spherical design for easy quarter-turn motion, ball valves are suitable for frequent on-off cycling and precise flow rate adjustments. Known for reliability, they require less maintenance and excel in residential and commercial plumbing systems.
- Check Valves: Preventing backflow, check valves utilize a valve flap that opens with water flow and closes to prevent reverse flow. This maintains system pressure and prevents water hammering, ensuring a pressurized and contamination-free plumbing system.
The Crucial Role of Plumbing Pumps
Pumps are responsible for the movement of water within your plumbing system, transferring water from the main supply line to fixtures such as sinks, toilets, and showers. They can also redirect wastewater away from the home. Operating on mechanical energy, pumps pressurize liquid to create flow, expediting fluid transfer over long distances or height differentials.
Our comprehensive Lockport pump and valve plumbing services encompass various submersible and non-submersible pumps, including:
- Centrifugal Pumps: Utilizing an impeller or rotating disk for suction and liquid movement, these pumps are cost-effective, efficient, and require minimal maintenance. Ideal for both pressurization and de-pressurization, they find common use in applications like sump pumps.
- Positive Displacement Pumps: Trapping a specific amount of liquid before moving it, these pumps rely on increased pressure for fluid movement. Known for handling higher pressures without compromising efficiency, they are low-maintenance and ensure long-term reliability.
- Jet Pumps: Efficient in generating high-pressure levels with minimal effort, jet pumps use an impeller to draw liquid into a chamber, creating pressure for precise control over water delivery systems.
- Vacuum Pumps: Reducing air pressure within pipes, vacuum pumps create flow or suction at specific points along the line. Operating mechanically or electrically, they offer energy efficiency, reducing overall energy costs and ensuring a long service life.
Why Are My Valves Not Functioning Correctly?
Your pump system would not be able to work properly without essential valves in place, carefully controlling the levels of pressure and water flow. These days, valves are manufactured to work for long periods of time, but eventually, excessive use will cause them to break down. By being aware of signs of valve failure, such as loud chattering sounds or random vibrating, you can ensure that the issue is addressed as early as possible.
Some of the most common reasons for faulty valves include:
- The valves have not been correctly installed or assembled – If the valves are not appropriately sized, or if they have been incorrectly connected, your unit will have weak flow capacity from the beginning.
- You have not scheduled regular maintenance – The toughest parts of any mechanical system will only stay strong if they receive proper servicing. When debris gets stuck in the valve, it will not work properly, so regular tune-ups are necessary to clean out the valve and get it working again.
- The valve seat seals have worn out – Inside a check valve seat, there is a special disc or ball that closes the valve gap so that water will not go in the wrong direction. The seat is then sealed with a waterproof ring made from elastomer. If this material degrades from old age, the seals must be replaced before the whole valve fails.
As soon as you recognize that your valves or the pump itself are not working optimally, do not hesitate to get in touch with our techs at Trailblazer Plumbing Services.
Call us today at (815) 855-5085 or speak to our techs online to learn more about what is involved in our Lockport pump and valve services.
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