In the plumbing industry and related fields that are a number of different valves that are used to regulate the flow of water and other liquids. Valves are made from different materials, such as different types of metals and plastics. They have different types of handles on them, different designs, and are made for specific purposes/applications. Among these valves is the gate valve.
The gate valve comes in many different sizes from as small as 3/8” or 1/2”, to as big as 24 inches. One of the main uses across the board for these sizes of gate valves is the use on water lines. Smaller gate valves are used on water lines inside of the home and sometimes on sprinkler or other irrigation systems. Larger size valves are used on the main lines of municipal water systems that supply water lines for the different commercial businesses, as well as fire hydrants, etc. Smaller valves can be used with liquids such as oil or compressed gas. Before using these valves for such purposes, it is important that you know that the particular valve you are buying can be used in these applications.
Some of the larger gate valves are also designed for transporting larger amounts of oil and some chemicals. Each is designed specifically for the different conditions and specifications that these materials require. If used in the wrong type of piping, certain chemicals can break down the pipe and valves, causing leaks that can be damaging to the surrounding environment. When these types of jobs are available, it is important to get the correct materials instead of cutting corners to keep costs down.
I mentioned earlier that different types of valves have different designs. Most of the valves have the same basic round body with a handle on top that has a quarter turn that will turn the valve on to allow flow or turn it off to stop the flow. Gate valves are usually longer vertically, instead of horizontally (like other valves). As the name says, there is a type of a “gate” in the valve. The handle on the valve is a round, wheel-type handle that can be turned to control the flow of the material that is flowing through it. This means that the gate can be opened all the way, allowing maximum flow or it can be turned to the point to allow little or no flow at all. This is opposed to the ball valve type that usually allows either full flow or no flow at all as its only options.
The majority of the smaller gate valves have threaded female connections but are also available in sweat (solder) connections. Larger gates valves, like the ones used in water lines, for example, are connected to pipe using bolt kits and come in different connection styles. These connections are called flange and mechanical joint (MJ). Each have their own sets of bolts, flange kits, and gaskets that need to be used to properly connect them to the water lines. Whether you need a small gate valve or a larger one, visit Plumber’s Stock to find the product you need for a good price.
