How to Identify Basic Plumbing Valves

There are all sorts of plumbing valves that do a variety of different jobs. If you want to identify the basic plumbing valves, you need to know what they look like. A valve is nothing more than something that controls the flow of a substance through a pipe. It may control water or gas. A faucet is one type of valve.

Instructions

1. Investigate a compression valve. A compression valve refers to the way the valve connects to the plumbing. It uses a compression fitting. Many shut-off's in the bathroom or kitchen are compression valves.

2. Look for ball valves. Ball valves get their name from the ball that stops the water flow. When you identify many plumbing valves, you realize sometimes it's the internal workings that create the name. The ball inside has a hole in the center. You turn the handle or lever, and the ball shifts from the side with no hole to where the hole is and allows water to pass.

3. Find a sill cock valve, which is used for the outside. It has a flange at the back where it mounts against an outside wall. When you try to identify plumbing valves, look for differences between indoor and outdoor plumbing.

4. Inspect boiler drain valves. These faucets are horizontal and have an upside down L shape with the handle on top. The faucet opening has both male and female threads. You insert the faucet into a container and attach plumbing on the other threaded opening. The early use was to drain water from a boiler.

5. Know that a gate valve is just two metal plates that fit against each side of an open seat when closed. The discs move up and down and on their sides. It blocks water going horizontally. The discs go down as the handle turns and blocks the water. Often, there are washers or packing on the seat to prevent water from leaking at the edge of the opening.

6. Find a stop valve. Many call these home shut-off valves. There is the compression stop valve or a sweat stop valve. You solder a sweat stop valve onto the pipe. You identify some plumbing valves not only by how they work, but their use and method of hook up, as well.