When designing a plumbing system, valves are among the most essential features to consider. Most water valves control the flow of water through pipes or fixtures. They come in a wide range of styles, depending primarily on their specific application and system demands. Although most valves are designed to serve the same basic purpose, distinct mechanisms have led to different valves with various applications.
To keep the liquid moving through safely and keep the plumbing system working efficiently, the correct plumbing valve types need to be selected. Choosing the proper water valve types and sizes could help ensure a safe and efficient plumbing application. PlumbingSell offers a wide range selection of water valves, we’ll take a look at the major types of plumbing water valves to help you find the right one for your system.
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How do Valves work?
In short, a valve is a device used to control the flow of fluid that goes through a plumbing system. Valves are essentially mechanical devices to control the flow of liquid to enhance efficiency, maintain process safety and more within the plumbing system. The majority of the water valves are used to start or stop the flow, while some are also able to control the rate and change direction. To achieve these functions, different types of movable components have been designed to perform control over liquid on opening, closing, change of direction, and others.
Plumbing valve types are varied to serve specific purposes, but the components are similar; most of the valves consist of handles, moving parts, body and seals. Selecting the right water valve types and sizes is crucial for the piping system, and understanding different types of valves to help you find the best one for your plumbing application.
5 Major Types Of Valves and Their Operations
Different types of valves are designed for specific usages, such as completely shutting on and off the flow, adjusting water pressure, preventing backflow, etc. We’ll cover the five major types of water valves to help you select the right one for various applications, ensuring both efficiency and durability in your future water systems.
Ball valve
Ball valves are ideal for quick opening and closing performance; they are also quite durable. The water flow through the valve is controlled by a spherical ball with a hole in the middle. When the handle is turned 90 degrees, the hole aligns with the pipe to allow a full flow.
Ball valves are one of the most commonly seen water valves for turning on or shutting off the fluid flow. They come in various shapes, types and materials. The most frequently seen materials used for ball valves are copper and plastic, as they tend to perform better under high pressure and temperature.
Best For: Both residential and commercial plumbing, where fast operation and durability are needed. Ball valves are easy to install which makes them also ideal for DIY lovers. Check out the EFIELD ball valve collection.
Butterfly valve
Butterfly valves can be used to regulate the flow of the fluid. This kind of valve uses a flat circular disc that rotates within the body to regulate the flow. The disc sits vertically to the flow path under close conditions, while when the disc has been rotated to parallel to the pipe, it will allow a certain amount of liquid to go through. The disc design has made the flow that passes through the water valve have a minimum obstruction, which makes the pressure drop very low.
Butterfly valves are one of the quarter-turn valve types. They are well-known for their space-saving, budget-friendly, lightweight, durability and capability of handling large flows. Although there are various types and sizes of butterfly valves available, they are more used for a plumbing system that requires a larger size of valves.
Best for: Mostly seen in commercial, institutional and industrial plumbing instead of typical residential applications due to the large size of the valves. Check out the EFIELD butterfly valve collection.
Gate valve
Gate valves are another type of commonly seen shut off water valves. Gate valves control the flow by raising or lowering a flat or wedge-shaped metal inside the valve body. They are not capable of regulating the flow that goes through the plumbing water valve and pipe.
Unlike ball valves or butterfly valves, gate valves use a handwheel or actuator to control the “gate” within the valve. Multiple turns are required to move the “gate” inside the valve up and down, which makes them unsuitable for a quick shut-off. However, gate valves are still popular for their cost-effectiveness and durability. They cause a very low-pressure drop across the valves when fully opened. This water valve is
Best For: Commonly seen in residential piping systems, gate valves can be used as main shut-off valves, hot water shut-off valves and more.
Hose bibs
A hose bib, also known as an outdoor faucet, spigot or sillcock, is a type of valve designed explicitly for outdoor water access. It is usually installed on the exterior walls of buildings for connecting to garden hoses. There are also frost-proof hose bibs for cold areas to prevent freezing by extending the valve seat inside the heated portion of the building.
Hose bibs are crucial for outdoor water usage, such as garden watering, car washing and more. With this kind of valve, you could have a convenient and controlled water source outdoors. The spout of a hose bib is typically thread to allow easy connection and removal of hoses, sprinklers and other attachments.
Best for: Designed for durability in exterior conditions for either commercial or residential piping systems. Various types of water valves with frost-proof or backflow-prevention options. Installation could be challenging; better to have assistance from professional plumbers.
Check valve
While a check valve might not look like a typical valve, this doesn’t make it any less crucial to the plumbing system. Check valves are designed to prevent backflow in plumbing systems. These valves operate automatically without manual control, based on fluid pressure. The valves open when water flows forward in one direction and close when flow reverses to block the fluid from coming back.
Check valves are small, easy to install and affordable. They are suitable for applications that need to avoid backflow in the plumbing system. Check valves can help reduce the possibility of cross-contamination problems. They also come in various materials types and sizes for multiple usages.
Best for: Prevention of backflow in both residential and commercial plumbing systems. Commonly seen in sprinkler systems and safety applications.
Conclusion
Selecting the correct type of water valve is essentia for ensuring an efficient and reliable plumbing system. Each of the 5 major water valves serves a specific function, from quick shut-off to flow regulation and backflow prevention. Understanding how these plumbing valves operate and their best applications helps you make more thoughtful decisions in your future plumbing projects. Explore our water valve collection to find the best value for your system and ensure optimal performance for your applications.
