Every part is essential to the systems that maintain the safety and comfort of our homes. The check valve is one such element that is frequently disregarded. This article will explain check valves, explain how they work in the heating system of your apartment, and discuss whether installing one is really necessary.
To begin with, let’s define a check valve. A mechanical valve that only permits one direction of fluid or gas flow through it is called a check valve, sometimes referred to as a non-return valve or a one-way valve. In essence, it stops backflow, making sure that the gas or fluid travels in the intended direction and doesn’t turn around.
Let’s now discuss its function in the heating system of your apartment. A check valve is usually mounted on the return pipe of a heating system. Its main purpose is to stop heated water from the heating system from flowing backward into the cold water supply line. By doing this, it helps keep the heating system operating efficiently and guards against potential backflow damage.
So, is a check valve required in the heating system of your apartment? The type of heating system you have and the local building codes and regulations in your area are two factors that will determine the answer. While some heating systems might get by just fine without a check valve, others might need one for both safety and best performance.
- Problems you encounter
- How to check the problem?
- Check valve installation
- Installation features
- In which cases a check valve is installed
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Problems you encounter
In an apartment building, it is typical to have varying pressures in each riser pipe. A cold water pipe may have more pressure than a hot water pipe, and vice versa. Although the pressure can easily rise at any time, leaks or even burst pipes are usually the cause of a sudden drop in pressure. When two taps are turned on simultaneously in the same apartment, the effect of the various flow pressures is frequently apparent. For instance, when the kitchen faucet is opened, hot water flows out of it simultaneously with the shower head beginning to spray cold water. A single flow overtook the other.
In many houses with centralized water supply, hot water is cut off for at least two weeks in the summer period. At this time, in apartments where heating devices are installed, the valve of liquid supply from the central system is closed and hot water from the boiler is launched through the same pipes. Sometimes tenants forget to close the valve on the water heater, turning on the water supply from the central riser pipe. Cold liquid with high pressure blocks the flow of warm liquid, squeezing it out. As a result, only cold water is supplied from all taps. Further it goes to the central riser, in a few minutes all the tenants will be washed with cold water.
The latter scenario is more typical and can occur in any kind of apartment. The scenario is comparable to the one mentioned above when using a shower faucet. You will get boiling water out of both taps if the pressure in the hot water riser is higher than the pressure in the cold water pipe. Even if no water is used, the meter will count cubic meters by spinning rapidly. There will be hot liquid in every apartment, both below and above, in addition to the riser.
There is another reason that completely excludes the influence of the human factor. This situation occurs as a result of the failure of the valve on the faucet. Inexpensive Chinese faucets fall into disrepair every one and a half to two years. They are affected by the quality of water: chlorine, rust and other impurities. As soon as the locking lever breaks, water will rush into the neighboring pipe, and the liquid will be displaced. The same effect can be caused by a one-handle faucet in the kitchen. When the faucet handle is lowered, it opens both valves, if the pressure of hot or cold water is higher, one liquid displaces the other, spreading through the system.
In each of these scenarios, you will be billed a hefty amount for the cubic meters of water that have been overflowing at the end of the month. Children also face the unpleasant possibility of getting hurt when hot water runs into a cold faucet. Furthermore, items may go bad because the washing machine uses hose water rather than cold water, which can reach 80 degrees.
How to check the problem?
It is urgent to install a check valve if you notice that the apartment’s water meter is spinning in the opposite direction and you close the hot water tap while the meter continues to spin. A valve needs to be installed if one of the kitchen and bathroom taps is only producing hot or cold water.
Check valve installation
To avoid the problems described above, it is sufficient to simply install two check valves. They are installed after the ball valve on both risers of the apartment. If for some reason you do not already have a strainer installed after the shutoff ball valve, be sure to install one. The check valve is always installed after the meter. It is necessary to observe the correct direction when installing. If put in the reverse side, it will not be able to perform its function. Some meters are already equipped with built-in valves. As a rule, they are not characterized by high reliability. Miniature check valves are inserted into the opening of a half-bend or installed at the outlet of the meter.
Look: a plastic circle with a crosshair inside and a taut rubber band. Their small size and shoddy construction allow them to leak. It would therefore not be absurd to install an additional check valve.
Installing a check valve is essential in apartments to stop water from leaking back into the plumbing system of your house. By ensuring that water only flows in one direction, a check valve keeps tainted water out of your clean water supply. You can protect your house from possible contamination and guarantee the security and purity of your water supply by installing a check valve.
Installation features
The product’s surface has an arrow that indicates the direction of the water flow. The valve body is made up of two parts: the base and the nut, which are screwed onto and unscrewed counterclockwise and clockwise respectively. Hold the nut where the arrow exits the check valve when putting it in or taking it out.
In which cases a check valve is installed
The valve is installed to stop water from flowing backward, to refill the pipeline with the liquid, or to switch out one flow for another because of a pressure differential. It is necessary to install the valves:
- In front of the boiler,
- After the meter,
- In conjunction with the installation of a pumping station.
The check valve makes sure that the water flows directly to the tap and does not return into the system if you use a pump to pump the water out. This valve stops the meter from rotating backward when closed circuits are being used. Check valves are located in the water meter before the faucet’s eccentric in factory products. Both the hot water riser pipe and the cold water inlet have valves installed when installing the water heater.
Reason | Decision |
To prevent backflow of water | Yes, install a check valve |
No risk of backflow | No need for a check valve |
To stop water from flowing backward into your apartment, installing a check valve in the heating system can be a smart move. This straightforward gadget makes sure that water only flows in one direction, reducing the chance of contamination and heating system damage.
The main goal of installing a check valve is to stop water from returning to the main water supply from the heating system. In addition to contaminating your drinking water, this backflow can harm your heating system and necessitate expensive repairs.
Installing a check valve also helps to keep the water pressure in your heating system at its ideal level. The check valve makes sure that your pipes and radiators receive a constant supply of hot water, which is necessary for effective heating, by stopping water from flowing backward.
In conclusion, adding a check valve to your apartment’s heating system may seem like a tiny, pointless addition, but over time, it can save you a great deal of hassle and money. A check valve makes sure that your heating system runs smoothly and efficiently, keeping your house warm and cozy throughout the chilly winter months by preventing backflow and maintaining ideal water pressure.