Why Choose Ball-Type Shutoff Valves

When dealing with plumbing leaks shutoff valves can save your home from costly damage. However, it is important to know that there are several valves that you can choose from for your home plumbing. One of the more reliable options that you have is the ball-type shutoff valve for your toilets and faucets. So why should you choose this type of shutoff valve over others?

Purpose of Valves

To understand the selection process better, it is important to establish first the purpose of shutoff valves. It does not matter if you ware remodeling a bathroom or kitchen, putting in a shutoff valve will give you a level of safety, however, it is also important to point out that shutoff valves can go unused for years. This is the reason why you need to choose a high quality valve made from sturdy material. You also need to factor in the possibility of mineral deposits ruining the internal components of the valve, preventing it from effectively sealing off water flow.

In controlling the flow of water in your plumbing system it is necessary to make sure that all lines remain secure and free from leaks for a long time. The most common choices boil down to either gate valves or ball-type ones.

Why Ball-Type

It is essential to make use of the best type of valve for your home plumbing system. Although both the gate and ball-type can effectively restrict and control the flow of water, ball types are known to prevent leaks better and last longer.

In terms of the internal components, ball-type valves are simpler using only a ball with a hole that opens and closes the flow with just a quarter turn. The less complex parts, the fewer problems to worry about, right? This kind of reliability will go a long way in protecting you against dangerous and costly plumbing emergencies.

Tighter Seal

Since shutoff valves are intended to restrict and control water flow, it is necessary to compare the efficiency of the seal. It is important to note that standard valve types need to be turned several times before they create a tight seal. Ball-type valves only have to be turned a quarter of the way to have the plumbing connection sealed.

Comparatively, ball-type valves have been tested to generate a tighter seal with 100% shutoff efficiency. Standard and other types of valves are more prone to leak based on the way they are designed and manufactured. Basically, the more pathways the water can take, the greater the potential for leaks.

Cost Efficiency

What is the Price Difference?

In general, shutoff valves are not really that expensive compared to other types of plumbing components. When you consider the important function that it provides to the plumbing system, cost should not be a very big issue.

Compared to other types of shutoff valves, the ball-type valve can be a bit more expensive, but are of higher quality. The small (and almost negligible) difference in the price is not worth to sacrifice for the possible plumbing problems that can be experienced in the future. So essentially, price or cost effectiveness goes the way of the ball-type valve.

Would you rather pay less and face the possibility of higher failure rate and the need to replace the shutoff valve more frequently? More importantly, are you willing to put your money on a less dependable shutoff valve type?

When you factor all of these reasons in, it should not be hard to understand why even professional plumbers would opt to use ball-type shutoff valves. The important thing to remember is that despite the efficiency of ball-type shutoff valves, they become utterly useless unless they are installed properly.

So for all your plumbing installations and problems, always call on licensed professionals to get the job done right!