Boiler valves are a very important and integral part of any boiler system. Valves are used to control the flow os steam and water, and also balance pressure. When too much pressure builds up a pipe may burst, or the boiler may explode. This is not a mess anyone wants to be stuck dealing with.

The quality of boiler valves depends on the complexity of the valve, and the materials used. Cheaply made valves will not hold up well under pressure and may burst. This isn’t the typical pipe bursting, but the actual wheel of the valve bursting off. This is a very problematic issue which requires the line to be shut off further up or down depending on the direction of the flow.

Once this is done you can replace the damaged valve, but until then you’re going to have water, or other liquids spraying everywhere. This can help motivate you to keep up with your monthly valve inspections, and routine maintenance. If you are running an apartment building having a valve break can be troublesome not only for you, but for the current tenants as well. You can rest assured people will notice this, and complain if you don’t fix it promptly.

Boiler valves can be found all over our buildings and homes provided you know where to look. They can range in designs from full sized valves that are the size of a pizza, to small hand valves that you can fit your hand around. Most are made to be easy to use and the design hasn’t changed much in over 200 years. Of course most people don’t give the actual support systems for their homes any thought until something breaks.

It’s important to keep up that maintenance on your boiler valves, in addition to the boiler itself. Well taken care of systems can last over 100 years and still function properly. This is the case with many of our systems in large cities, museums, office buildings, and schools. Although there are also cases of neglect and the systems are severely damaged in some areas resulting in water pipes bursting, and steam pipes venting into occupied areas.

Taking proper care of your boiler valves usually entails cleaning the unit, the assembly, and making sure the pipes are clean. If the pipes are clogged, or overworked this can lead to more strain on the valve system to hold back any additional pressure. This is pretty much all there is to it. Please do not use any corrosive cleaning solvents that eat through metal as this will degrade the system further.

In closing remember to take care of your support systems, and inspect your boiler valves on a routine basis. Always replace any worn out or broken parts, and clean any dirty ones to ensure your system performs as well as it can. Well maintained support systems for boilers and water can last a building for a good fifty years or more. Sometimes the systems outlast the buildings they were meant to provide service to. In this case the valves and pipes are salvaged and sent to other construction sites for recycling.