Back in the days, some elite Romans were already living in the 20th century. They had the privilege to enjoy the desired water flow and temperature of the bathtub, unlike most others of the time. They did so by building a diaphragm valve over a weir-like water reservoir. It was made up of leather, which operated manually. That crowned Romans with the tile of water valve inventors. With that, began the evolutionary era of water valves.
In this blog, we’ll tour retro water valves and their modern counterparts.
Water has been the basic necessity for humans since day one. Finding ways to maintain its availability and quality has also been equally important. Ever since the formation of settlements and the beginning of agriculture, the need to have and control a required amount of water has become crucial for survival.
In quest of finding ways to facilitate cultivation, humans came across tons of water management methods and tools throughout history. Despite their completely transformed current forms, they have been quite effective in the past.
Before the Greeks and Romans, people used tree trunks and stones to control water flow. There isn’t much information about those times, except for the water clock by the Egyptians.
Greeks and Romans witnesses and efficiently contributed to the development of various hydraulic and mechanical tools and equipment, water valves being one of them. The primary revolution of the water valve is marked with that of the canal system, Romans discovered for irrigation.
Initially, valves were made with bronze due to its strength. These valves were designed to be attached to the pipes already fit in place. Despite a simple build, those valves did the job. They consisted of three parts: a hollow plug, a levy to turn the plug, and a support at the base of the plug.
These valves were found in large numbers from all over the Mediterranean, highlighting their significance at the time. Based on the evidence, primitive check and backflow valves have also been in use to keep clean water separate from the waste fluid –seems like we are not the only generation concerned with cleanliness. From the artifacts recovered from Augusta, it’s clear that the butterfly valve was quite common in the region.
Two other types of valves –flap and coin, also initiated in Ancient Rome. They were used to facilitate the force-water pumps. Plug cock valves were commonly found on main water lines that supplied water to the buildings. They worked as stop valves to control the water flow in various supply pipes. Traces of cock valve have also been found from the remains of the Palace of Tiberius that was built around 25AD.
These advancements were taken to the next during the renaissance when hydraulic machines became more common. Leonardo Da Vinci –the most famous polymath of his time, who also painted the Mona Lisa’s portrait, came up with several other practical valve designs and also made improvements to the existing ones.
Modern-day water valves that are much more convenient and effective have merely evolved on what Greeks and Romans left for us. As a matter of fact, we practically used the same plug cocked valve as the Romans until the 19th century. However, the category and type of water have widened to suit specific needs.
Things escalated quickly after the industrial revolution. Engineers introduced newer and more efficient valve designs. Moreover, the advancement of technology further aided in their development and betterment.
During the early 1800s, Timothy Hackworth, an eminent engineer, came up with the idea of using adjustable springs with steam safety valve. Previously, weights were used with these valves that did the work but were inefficient. Timothy’s innovation gained significant importance that the valve is now preserved and exhibited in London’s Science Museum.
Later in the early 20th century, P.K. Saunders, a mining engineer from South Africa decided to put his interest in archeology into work to meet his job requirements. He was entrusted with the responsibility of reducing power loss and leakage due to faulty valves. Considering Roman’s concept of diaphragm valves, Saunders came up with the modern diaphragm valve that was later adopted by most others.
Todays water valves can be threaded to, sweat, or even push in to.
A good example of how far valves have come, is Stream Products Inc's all in one Plumbing Boxes.
A ball valve is based on a rotary ball and has a hollow center. With these valves, you can control the flow of water using the lever on top. One quarter-turn of the lever can open or block the way for the fluid to flow through. However, it is quite challenging to achieve a certain level of flow in between open and close, either a complete flow or no flow at all.
They are considered to be more lasting than most other types of valves. Ball valves are commonly found in large chemical, gas, and manufacturing industries, especially to control the flow of corrosive fluids.
There are four types of ball valves
Each of these types is further divided based on a number of variations like assembly, ball design, bore profiles, handles, etc.
The butterfly valve works on rotational motion. They are equipped with a hand-wheel, which is connected to the stem through a gearbox. The center of the stem features a flat disk that acts as the gate for the valve. Rotating the hand-wheel results in the opening and closing of the valve gate.
These valves are cost-effective and do not require a large space, which allows them to fit in smaller places as well. Moreover, they are easy to operate and maintain. However, they are the fastest neither do they ease flow management.
Butterfly valves are found at services like high-pressure water service, high-temperature fluid management, vacuum services, controlling slurry fluids, etc.
Check valves are designed to facilitate the flow of liquids and gases in one direction. They feature two ports, an input port, and an output port. Since the fluid is only allowed to flow in a specific direction, the valve is also called a ‘one-way valve’ or ‘non-return valve’.
A check valve works on the principle of differential pressure. It requires higher pressure at the input port than the output. If in any case the pressure increases at the output or decreases at the input port, the valve automatically closes, protecting the whole internal system. Their unaided shutting off function stands to be their strongest point as they do not need a human to control them. However, the closure mechanism does not work the same way for each check valve type.
Faucet valves are the common tap found in bathrooms and kitchens used to control water flow and its temperature. They are largely divided on the basis of knob they feature. Some have one knob to control both hot and cold water while others have two separate knobs designated to hot and cold water.
These knobs effectively seal the faucet to reduce the chances of leakage. However, some of the faucet valves require frequent maintenance.
Gate valves are designed to cease the flow of fluid by isolating pipelines with a gate-like disc. They are used to fully allow or restrict the flow, but not to regulate it. They hardly make any difference in pressure when the gates are opened, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted flow.
Gate valves consist of a disc, a screw-based stem, and a hand-wheel to operate. One clockwise turn of the hand-wheel can either be to or close the flow. When the valve is closed, the disc is lowered, resting in the path of the flow against the two openings. To resume the flow, the hand-wheel is turned in the opposite direction, which lifts the disc, giving a free way to the fluid. Due to their straightforward and limited-sized construction, they are mainly used with large underground and above-ground pipes.
These valves are not the quickest to operate because moving the threaded stem up and down takes time. However, it prevents leak and pressure drop.
Globe valve also known as the throttling valve is one of the most common types of water valves. They are designed to allow, restrict, and control the flow. However, the pressure drop with this type of valve is quite high.
It consists of a threaded stem, a disc, and a hand-wheel. To reach the desired fluid-flow, the threaded stem has to move a certain distance upward or downward. When the hand-wheel is entirely down the disc is settled over the seat of the valve, which completely cuts the flow.
Since the stem does not have to cover a large area to reach the desired position, it makes this valve quick to work with. However, frequent contact of the seat and the disc might require periodic repair.
A pressure relief valve also referred to as a safety valve is a device to maintain pressure in the pipes or vessels, preventing the system from catastrophes due to extreme pressure. In a situation where the fluid pressure goes beyond the limits of the system, there can be massive destruction. Since electric-powered or human-controlled systems fail in such a situation, a pressure relief valve is what comes in handy.
Being an automatic valve, the pressure relief valve is in action at all times. They vent the extra fluid through the designated openings to reduce pressure in the vessels.
Supply-stop or shutoff valves are one of the most common types of valves. They are mainly used in house plumbing to control the flow of water from the main water line. They are available in different materials –iron, copper, and CVPC and build like straight, angled, quarter turn, or multi-turn.
Shut-off valves are pretty simple and quick. Due to their compact size and easy installation they can be stationed at compact places quite easily. Moreover, they are inexpensive and convenient to operate.
The pinch valve is a dual opening valve with a full bore in the center. This type of valve utilizes ceases water flow through the pinching effect of a rubber seal. These pressure-operated valves can be used to allow, obstruct, or control the flow of water in the pipes.
The pinch valve is lined with rubber seals, facing each other that clamp tightly together to obstruct the water flow. The use of rubber makes this valve last longer than others, hence they do not need frequent repairs.
This type of valve works great with a variety of fluids, thereby are commonly found in industries. Plus, they are quite inexpensive and easy to install and operate.
Diaphragm valves are a type of throttle valve that works similar to pinch valves. They control the water flow with the help of a thin membrane positioned at their entrance and exit. The flexible membrane exerts a force on the valve to open or obstruct the opening, which allows for extensive control of water flow.
These valves are leak-proof and quick to function. Although they are available in different materials, they usually do not require frequent repairs. However, they are limited to lower to moderate temperature and pressure applications.
A plug valve is a manual valve featuring a cylindrical plug that cuts down the water flow. When the valve is opened, the plug is lifted from the bottom, creating a free passage for the water to flow. However, when it’s turned to a closed position, the plug blocks the pipe, which stops the flow.
Plug valves can be used to open, close, or control the flow of water. These can be two to three-way valves that divert or combine water from one or more sources. The usually used in low-pressure vessels, but some designs also facilitate higher pressure. Despite their leak-proof and easy to maintain build, they might not be much favored over a ball valve due to higher prices.
Hope this article would have been informative for you. The discovery and initial use of this simple device are rooted in Ancient Rome, but it has come a long way. Today we find a variety of water valves available at a mere cost. However, their importance has only increased over time.
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Always hire the best contractor you can, make sure you check your local codes, and use quality products and fixtures.
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So, you want to remodel your kitchen, now what?
You thought about, and, googled everything you can think of. How much is it to remodel a kitchen? How much are The Home Depot and Lowes kitchen cabinets? How much are kitchen appliances, Moen kitchen faucets, quartz countertops? On and on, the search never ends. There is a lot we can discuss about kitchen renovations, but let's do it in different blog posts.
Where do you begin? Your whole life, you heard stories about how complicated it is dealing with general contractors, electricians, plumbers, the department of buildings, permits...
I know, right? Already sounds complicated.
Don't worry, I'll make this as simple as I can. I promise!
Let's leave the contractors, electricians, and architects aside for another blog and concentrate on plumbing for now.
Plumbing has come a long way from its origin, and plumbing codes have changed over the years, and vary depending on where you live. Different cities and counties may carry different plumbing codes, so we rely on architects and plumbers to help us figure things out, because it could get very confusing.
Let's Get Your Kitchen Renovation Started!
First, you need to decide on your layout arrangement, are you going to keep it the same way? Or are you changing things around?
Just for the sake of this exercise let's say you chose to keep the gas stove in the same location, but you want to move the sink to the next wall because you decided to add a dishwasher, and want to keep them together.
Now that you have an idea of where your appliances are going to be installed, we need to clear another important point. Permits, do you need them?
You knew, they would show up sooner or later!
We know you are moving the sink and adding a dishwasher, so let's see if we need Permits, and what kind of permits, we might need.
The next question is. Do you live in a private home, a co-op, or condo?
On private homes, most homeowners will choose not to file an application with the Department of Buildings, but the truth is, they might need to file, and they can face a violation if caught without a permit.
The NYC building department, will allow you to do minor plumbing work without a permit application, these include the sink, faucet, and toilet replacement but moving a sink to another wall, or adding a dishwasher, will require a plumbing permit.
There are different types of plumbing permits out there. (ALT 1, ALT 2, LAA) We can discuss types of permits on another blog post.
Let's make things fun! Let's say you live in a co-op and have discussed with your board and management company your new layout, and they have said we need to apply for an LAA permit.
To apply for an LAA we need a licensed plumber. Since our plumber is licensed, let's ask him to pull a permit for us. In NYC he can do this application online and shouldn't take too long, usually from one day to the next. Since he is filing for a permit, we should know that there will be plumbing inspections. One after the rough work is done and another after the project is finished.
So, now we know your kitchen layout, and that we have for an LAA Permit.
Great, let's continue with the project.
Speaking with the Owner of New York Best Finish Contracting he explains that to replace kitchen cabinets we don't need any construction permits and since we are not doing any electrical work either, we don't need an electrical permit, so we should be good to go.
Let's get started!
The first week went by fast, we did all protection needed for demolition, the demo contractor has finished removing the cabinets and drywall, and now we can see inside your kitchen walls.
Many times, while doing a kitchen renovation, after the walls have been opened, if you live in a Co-op the super will come over and take a look at the risers. (the hot and cold water pipes that come from the basement and go all the way up to each apt) Sometimes the risers are old, they were made from galvanized steel and there is asbestos wrapping around them, if that's the case, this is a good time to get rid of them. But lucky for us, your risers were made of copper and don't have any asbestos, so we are good to continue with your renovation.
Great, now the plumber can start his work. We see the exposed risers and since we have our LAA permit, now we can ask the super to give us a shutdown, which means the hot and cold water valves to the rises will be closed in the basement so we can proceed to replace your pipe branches (water lines that come out of the risers to the fixtures) and install our new shutoff valves or stop valves. Shutoff valves are usually placed inside the walls. There are different types, ball valves, gate valves ... some compression, sweat... Don't worry the plumber will know which ones to use.
Because we want them inside the wall we will install an access panel for future access.
Once the new branches and the cold and hot water shutoff valves have been installed, we can ask the super to open the water in the basement. No leaks? Great! Looks like our plumber is doing good!
The water might be open in the basement, but it needs to remain closed at the new stop valves because we are not done yet. After the shutoff valves, we still need to continue our water risers to our new sink location, and install new water angle stop valves. These are the typical water valves you see inside your kitchen sink cabinet, also called angle valves.
To install these valves, we will Install an SP Plumbing Box 2000, this will make the installation a lot easier, and faster because the plumbing box 2000 already comes with the valves inside. But we will talk more about this later on the project, but for now, before the walls are closed, we need to connect our SP plumbing Box 2000 to your drain, and vent pipe. The drain, is the pipe used to carry the unwanted or wastewater away. The vent, is the pipe that allows air to enter the plumbing system.
Since we are having an inspection for the rough work, we need to make sure our drainpipe is vented, or else it will not pass the inspection. But because the old kitchen already had a vent line, we don't need to install any new pipes, simply connect to the existing vent line, and extend it to our new location.
A typical installation would be PVC or cast-iron pipe depending on your Plumbing Code. For your project, we need to use a cast-iron pipe.
Since our SP Plumbing Pox 2000 already comes with the 2-inch cast-iron sanitary tee it will be fast and easy, all we need is (2) 2-inch couplings. One for the vent and one for the drain, and that's it (See pic below)
A few weeks went by, the plumber inspector passed by the apt. and gave us the green light to continue, so now the contractor has closed the walls, installed the new kitchen cabinets, the new quartz countertop, backsplash tiles, and painted the kitchen.
That was fast! Not really! This is not reality TV, so it probably took about a month, :)
Now, it is time to have our plumber come back, and install the finishes, our sink, faucet, drain, and new dishwasher. Since we didn't move the gas, that is an easy connection.
Let's talk a little about what goes on inside the kitchen Sink Cabinet.
So far, we know, that inside our kitchen Sink Cabinet we have our new angle stop valves, or speedy valves. (these are the valves that feed hot and cold water to your faucet)
Plumbing Inside the kitchen sink cabinet has come a long way over the years. It used to be a very clutter mess, that included exposed pipes, water hoses, valves, fittings, a drain trap, (see pics below) that left no room inside the cabinet for a homeowner.
Today's All in One Plumbing Box are wall recessed (see pic above)
Stream Products Plumbing Box 1000 looks organized, much cleaner, and gives the homeowner much-needed space inside the kitchen sink base cabinet. It is fully wall-recessed, and comes with doors for valve protection.
This is what we are installing for your project.
Stream Products Inc carries different lines of Plumbing Boxes, metal, and Plastic
For your project, in the beginning, we chose to install an SP Plumbing Box 2000 because it comes with stop angle valves for connecting hot water, cold water, a dishwasher, and a connection for your fridge. The SP Plumbing Box 2000 also comes with a 2-inch cast-iron sanitary tee that connects to your kitchen drain, and vent.
Let's connect the SP Plumbing Box 2000 to your sink, faucet, fridge, and dishwasher.
Now, we have to access the inside of our plumbing box, we can simply open the doors or remove them. The doors are very easy to remove, they are attached to the box with 4 screws. Top, and bottom
Now that the doors are open, we can see on the left the hot water stop angle valve. This valve we will connect to your faucet's hot water, and the new dishwasher. To connect the faucet to the angle valve all we need is a 3/8 comp adapter or hose, and to connect to the dishwasher we need a 3/8-inch comp adapter or hose.
On the right side, we have your cold-water angle stop valve. This will connect to the faucet's cold water and the new fridge. For the cold water, all we need is a 3/8 comp. adapter or hose, and to connect to the refrigerator we need a 1/4-inch comp. adapter or hose.
Once this is done, we need to connect the sink drain, this is very easy, all we need is a 2-inch nipple that screws into the sanitary tee on one side, and to the drain trap on the other side. The trap connects to a tailpiece pipe that connects to the sink. We also have a dishwasher that needs to connect to the drain line as well, we do this with a 1 1/2 tailpiece pipe with a branch for a direct dishwasher outlet.
After that, all we need to do is to close the SP Plumbing Box 2000 doors back to protect the valves, and we are done. Now the plumber might request the final inspection, but because we did everything correct, we know it will pass inspection. Now, wasn't this easy?
SP Plumbing Box 2000, showing a clean look, organized hoses, recessed in-wall box, and valve protection with doors (Pic above)
Stream Products Plumbing Boxes can be connected to any room of the house where you might have a sink. It could be a kitchen, a bath, or a laundry. If you don't have access to Stream Products, SP Plumbing Boxes you can ask your architect, designer, contractor, or plumbing supply store.
After the plumber is done with the kitchen plumbing, usually there will be other finishes your contractor will take care of. Other than that congratulation, the kitchen renovation is finished.
Plumbing can be easy, fun, and beautiful, if done the correct way, but you need the correct tools.
Before you start your kitchen remodel, please check with your local codes, to make sure what permits are required.
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