The purpose of a
steel gate valve is to stop the flow
of liquid; usually in an emergency. You will find a steel gate valve
installed in many things. The most common is found on your outside water
spigot. You turn the knob to open a valve which allows water to flow
through the hose. You close it again to stop the flow. A steel gate
valve lowers a disc or plate which blocks the pipe which effectively
stops the flow of water or other liquids. It is important to keep these
valves maintained so that they do their job when needed. The following
article will share with you several tips on how to achieve this.
When you are dealing with a steel gate valve in the home you are dealing
with plumbing issues. Sometimes it becomes necessary to shut off the
water in the home during plumbing work or due to a broken pipe. Where
the steel gate valve is installed is actually a point of weakness as it
exists between two other pipes that screw into either end of the valve.
These areas are a point of weakness in case there is a blockage or
frozen pipe. To maintain this connection you should wrap the threads
with silicone plumber’s tape and you should update it every year
Over time a steel
gate valve can begin to stick. If a problem were to
occur and you need to shut the valve it may not be possible to do so. To
prevent the valve from sticking you need to periodically lubricate the
post of the valve wheel. Any type of spray lubricant will work. In the
winter it is a good idea to lubricate the wheel and post once in the
beginning of the month and once at the end of the month.
Rust is always a problem on a steel gate valve and especially one that
is outside of the home. Inspect the valve regularly for rust. If you
spot some you 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 with paint that
protects metal against rust. You need to remove the rust before you
paint it though as the rust can continue to spread.
A good way to keep one of these valves working efficiently is to use it.
All you 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.
The steel gate valve is assembled with a series of nuts which attach the
valve to the pipes and the wheel knob to the post. Use an adjustable
wrench to tighten all the nuts to the right every year or so. This helps
to maintain the pressure when the valve has to be used.
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