Doing Things In A New Way

Posted on: 1 August 2016

When your plumbing springs a leak, calling a plumber might be the first thought on your mind. If budget constraints have you wondering if you can fix the problem yourself, you may want to make sure you understand the tools you might need. If your plumbing isn't running efficiently, it could be because a valve has broken. If that's the case, you need to understand valves; there are a few types, and getting the right one will help keep your water and sewage flowing the right direction. 

What Is a Check Valve?

The most basic valve you need to know about is called a check valve. This valve runs in only one direction, so you don't have to worry about things like sewage backing up. For instance, when you flush the toilet, do you notice that debris or excrement are coming back up with dirty water? If so, then the check valve that is meant to keep the dirty water down may not be working efficiently. By replacing the valve, any sewage is flushed away and not allowed to back up into the toilet, keeping all the fresh water pouring in without mixing with bacteria and germs. 

Other kinds of check valves include:

• Ball check valves
• Diaphragm check valves
• Swing check valves
• Clapper valves
• Lift-check valves
• Stop-check valves
• In-line check valves
• Duckbill valves
• Pneumatic non-return valves

Before you can replace your valve, you'll need to turn off your water supply and detach it, so you can see what kind it is. Take it to your local home improvement store; there should be many options available there, so having the part can help you match it as closely as possible. Once you find the right valve, you can simply replace the part by putting the new valve onto your home piping. For extra security around the connection points, you can purchase various kinds of tape and sealing resins, so you know that leaks won't happen. 

The benefit of doing this kind of repair on your own is that valves are generally inexpensive. They tend to be made of metal or plastic, and they have few working parts, so they won't be very hard to replace. The cost of your repair comes from the expense of having someone come to your home to fix the valve; if you can do this yourself, you could potentially save money and learn how to fix a common household problem. 

To learn more, contact a company likeMonumental Supply Company.