Plumbing in Arlington

Shut Off Valves | Adding Water Shut Off Valves

Shut off valves are installed at each plumbing fixture such as at each sink for example. Shut off valves provide a means of shutting the water off when problems occur, preventing potential damage to the home, and enabling repair without shutting off all water to the home.

Unfortunately, failed shut off valves are a common occurrence, resulting in having to shut off the main water supply anyway.

When installing or replacing a shutoff valve you have two options in valves: the ball valve or the gate valve.

The gate valve has been around for a long time, but is in declining use due to the superior design of the ball valve. The ball valve experiences fewer failures and lasts longer resulting in reduced problems. The gate valve will not go away any time soon however, as there are some regions that require the use of gate valves by local code.

A gate valve utilizes an internal gate that moves up and down on the stem. The stem is connected to the handle which screws the gate up or down-on or off. Over time, the stem which controls the gate typically breaks. This causes the gate to freeze in place, either stuck in the on position or the off position. This leaves you with the situation of being unable to have any water flow, or as is the usual case, it won’t shut water off when you need it to.

Ball valves utilize a sphere with a hole in it to control water flow, when you turn the handle the sphere is turned placing the sphere into the position of open or closed. Ball valves are able to quickly shut water off with just a quarter of a turn.

In the case of a very large amount of water running into your home, if the ball valve is shut off too fast, it can cause water hammer which in turn could cause problems. Water hammer occurs when a flow of water is shut off too quickly causing water to hit the stop and “slosh” backward. The solution to prevent this with the ball valve is to turn it off slowly.

The chances of either a large enough amount of water running or the problems water hammer can potentially cause are very small. This is the reason though, that some localities will only allow gate valves though even though they are unreliable and subject to seizing up, especially when not routinely used. Water hammer doesn’t occur with gate valves as they are unable to be turned off quickly. Ball valves on the other hand, will work even if they haven’t been used for years, and this is the reason for their growing preference among homeowners.

There are varying grades of valves, and most home supply stores do not always stock good quality valves. You may buy the most expensive one in stock but it is no guarantee that is a good quality valve. The best source of a quality valve is through a reputable, licensed Arlington plumber. Like the fixtures a plumber sells, the any of the valves a plumber uses are professional grade and superior to any you can buy at retail.

Call the professional plumbers at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Fort Worth for the repair or installation of quality shutoff valves in your home or business. Shut off valves will enable you to cut water off at a single location without shutting water off to the entire home. For plumbing in Arlington, Fort Worth and the surrounding areas, give us a call for exceptional plumbing services. We provide 100% satisfaction, guaranteed! Emergency plumbing services are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.