When most people think about what makes their home run smoothly, they picture appliances, plumbing fixtures, or even their HVAC system.
But behind the scenes, a network of unsung heroes is hard at work — valves. These small but mighty components are critical to controlling the flow of water, gas, and even air throughout your house. Without them, you’d quickly notice leaks, flooding, or even dangerous gas buildup.
Consider these five major ways valves improve the functionality of your house — and why it‘s so essential to ensure they’re functioning properly.
1. Controlling Your Water Supply
Valves give you some degree of control over the volume of water that’s coming into your house. Your master shut-off valve allows you to cut off the water supply completely if necessary.
If a pipe ever bursts, you’ll want to have the ability to cut off the water flow immediately since doing so can spare you the cost of paying a ton of money to fix water damage.
Consider, as well, that receptacle valves behind toilets and appliances enable you to turn off water flow and repair leaks without the need to turn off water to the house via the main shut-off valve.
By enabling you to manage where and when water can exit, valves enable your plumbing to function properly and prevent small issues from turning into major disasters.
2. Backflow and Flooding Prevention
Some valves safeguard your home against deadly backflow or flooding. For instance, backflow preventer valves prevent dirty water from entering your clean water system to keep family members and visitors from getting ill.
And sump pump check valves on basement sump pumps prevent the water from flowing back into the sump pit. Both of these valves ensure the integrity of your home and the cleanliness of water, especially during flooding or in the event of plumbing malfunctions.
3. Your Heating and Cooling System Maintenance
Your heating and cooling system also relies on valves to function — especially if you have a steam or hot-water heat system.
Radiator and boiler valves control the steam or hot water flow to radiators to make rooms heat and become cozy. And air conditioner and heat pump valves control the refrigerant flow so that your system can effectively cool or heat your home.
Without these valves, you would be giving up comfort, efficiency, and even safety — since some of them are made with provisions for relieving excess pressure and preventing catastrophic system failure.
4. Gas Appliances Safe and Convenient
Valves are an essential safety device if your house is gas-heated or has a gas stove by natural gas or propane.
Gas line shut-off valves are installed close to furnaces, water heaters, and stoves. You can use them to shut off the gas should you suspect there is a leak or need to carry out some repair on the appliance.
Meanwhile, pressure-regulating valves keep the amount of gas supply stable and secure, and thereby prevent damage to appliances as well as restrict the spread of fire if there’s a mishap.
Knowing where your shut-off gas valves are and how to turn them on and off is essential.
5. Encouraging Water Conservation
Valves aren’t all safety valves — they’re money- and water-savers. Case in point: mixing valves gradually adjust water temperature in showers and faucets to help prevent accidental scalding and wasted water.
Pressure-reducing valves lower water pressure when it is too high, preventing pipes and fixtures from wear and tear and conserving water at the same time.
Installation of such valves will make your home more efficient and lower your water bill — a win-win for the environment and your budget.
How to Keep Your Home Valves in Good Condition
Now that you know how much of a difference valves make, here are some simple steps to keep them working properly:
Locate them: Know where your master water shut-off, gas shut-off, and master appliance valves are before there’s an issue.
Use them from time to time: Open and close them a few times a year so they don’t seize up.
Look for leaks: Inspect around valves for corrosion, rust, or drips — tiny leaks are big headaches if not addressed.
Call in the pro when necessary: If you’re sure that you have a leaking valve or can’t turn one freely, a heating and cooling contractor or plumber is qualified to install it properly.
Getting the right valve is obviously important. For instance, you shouldn’t use a residential valve when what you need is a valve suited for commercial applications. When you get the right valve for the right application, you can help ensure your home functions like a well-oiled machine.
