The Maintenance Methods for Gate Valves
Posted: 05/09/2019 15:13:16 Hits: 481
The purpose of a steel gate valve is to control the flow of liquid. A steel gate valve is installed on many occasions, the most common is installed on an external spigot. We turn the knob to open a valve which allows water to flow through the hose, and close it again to stop the flow. A steel gate valve lowers a disc or plate that blocks the pipe which effectively stops the flow of water or other liquids. It is important to maintain these valves so that they can work well. The following article will share several tips on how to maintain steel gate valves.
1. Use silicone tape
When we are dealing with a steel gate valve in the home, in fact, we are dealing with plumbing issues. Sometimes it becomes necessary to shut off the water in the home because of the plumbing work or the broken pipe. Where the steel gate valve is installed actually has a weakness as it exists between two pipes that screw into either end of the valve. These areas are weak points when pipes are blocked or frozen. To maintain this connection we should wrap the threads with silicone tape and replace every year.
2. Use lubrication
As time goes by, the steel gate valve will start to get stuck. To prevent the valve from sticking we need to periodically lubricate the stem of the valve wheel. Any type of spray lubricant can do the work. In winter, it is better to lubricate the wheel and stem once at the beginning of a month and once at the end of a month.
3. Be wary of rust
Rust is always a problem on a steel gate valve and especially one that is outside of the home. We should inspect the valve regularly for rust. If there is some rust, we can use a wire brush to scrape the rust off of the metal. It is also a great idea to paint the steel gate valve in order to prevent rust. We need to remove the rust before painting it because the rust can continue to spread.
4. Use the valve
A good way to keep these valves working efficiently is to use them. All we need to do is turn the knob to the left to close the valve and then to the right to open the valve. Doing this occasionally will prevent the valve from sticking inside the pipe as well as keeping the wheel loose.
5. Tighten the nuts
The steel gate valve is assembled with a series of nuts which attach the valve to the pipes and the wheel knob to the stem. Use an adjustable wrench to tighten all nuts to the right every year or so, which is good for valve pressure maintenance.
