When high-temperature resistance is a must, especially in domestic installations, any of our ECVs are a good option. The range also includes electrically insulated valves. Stop valves are typically used in applications where it is necessary to completely shut off the flow of fluid, such as in residential and commercial plumbing. Gate valves, on the other hand, are typically used in industrial applications where it is necessary to control the flow of fluid. Based in the West Midlands, we are an independent plumbers merchant and national distributor of quality Plumbing, Bathroom, Heating and Plastic products. Our company ethos is to supply quality products and innovative solutions ensuring we offer an exceptional customer experience at a fair price.

The valve on the right in this photo is Marie’s street-side main shutoff; the valve on the left is the house-side main shutoff. In newer homes, these will probably be ball valves. Finally, many ice makers and furnace humidifiers are fed by small flexible copper tubes that are connected to larger copper pipes via a very small T-handled device called a saddle valve ( Photo 8). These valves essentially bite into the larger pipe to feed the smaller one. Leaky saddle valves are a major cause of residential water damage and are no longer code-compliant in many areas. If you have saddle valves, replace them with standard supply stops. Since these things can leak like crazy and cause tremendous damage, I’m replacing it with a standard supply stop as soon as I’m done with this story. Houses with natural gas have a main shutoff valve ( Fig. A) located just before the gas meter. This valve, often called the street-side valve, is normally a rectangular nub ( Photo 1). When the long side of the nub or handle is parallel to the incoming gas line, it’s open and the gas is flowing. When it’s turned a quarter turn, perpendicular to the incoming pipe, it’s closed.You’ll notice this story contains a lot of “oftens,” “usuallys” and “almost always’s.” That’s because valves vary greatly in location, shape and number, depending on the age of your house, the local codes and which part of the country you live in. This article covers the basics of each system. So, a leak might be stopped by a on/off valve or a safety stop valve. If the fire is going the bottles or tanks in or on the RV can still blow up from venting propane. Fixture shutoff valves can take many appearances, but a common one is a small silver valve with an oval handle with ribbed edges for gripping. An angled fixture shutoff valve, in particular, is used when a water pipe comes out of the wall and needs to angle straight upward to feed supply tubes running to tailpieces on a sink faucet or toilet valve. You likely will have quite a number of these valves in your home. They are inexpensive and relatively durable. Also note: When you shut off main or individual gas valves, you’ll be extinguishing the pilot lights to certain appliances. Many newer appliances have “pilot light–less” electronic ignition systems, but if you have older appliances, you’ll need to relight the pilot lights. Most appliances have clear relighting directions on a label near the pilot light or in the instruction manual.

Yeah I know of the tank EFV device. The claim of the company that makes the gas stop valve is that the tank EFV (excess flow valve) are a self equalizer flow limiter and may not close off the flow 100% in a failure of a hose or regulator. Most service valves are single-lever ball valves; again, handle parallel to the line means gas is flowing, perpendicular means it’s cut off. On dryers and ranges, this valve is usually hidden behind them and can only be reached by sliding the appliance out from the wall. This service valve will usually be at the end of a fixed pipe and connected to a flexible supply pipe called an appliance connector. Take care not to kink or pinch this flexible pipe. There's just so much you can "add to a trailer before it becomes too heavy to drag behind an underpowered/undersized 4 cylinder turbocharged grocery getter"... Since these things can leak like crazy and cause tremendous damage, I’m replacing it with a standard supply stop as soon as I’m done with this story.

The right equipment for natural gas systems

A good gas plumber will be more than happy to provide plenty of advice and guidance along with their service. If you have any questions about your central heating system or gas supply, why not keep a list? When you next see your trusted local gas plumber for a boiler service or gas heating repair, they’ll be more than happy to take you through all the items on your list. A happy safe customer that knows all about their heating system is a great customer for any good gas heating engineer. Their claim is their product, when it detects an excessive flow like when a propane hose gets cut into, their valve shuts off 100% of the flow and must be manually reset to allow gas to flow again. When closed, stop valves create a tight seal that prevents any fluid from flowing through the pipe. When closed, gate valves create a small gap between the gate and the seat that allows some fluid to pass through even when the valve is closed. If you’re working near the main or individual gas valve and clearly know the source of the gas leak and that gas hasn’t been leaking for long, shut off the valve and get out. But if you’re uncertain of the source or how long the gas has been leaking, clear yourself and your family out and call the gas company or fire department from a neighbor’s house (not your own—remember, phones can generate sparks!). Always err on the side of caution.