Not so long ago, plumbing stores were “littered” with silumin valves. However, citizens quickly realized that such cranes are not suitable for use, because after a short time they begin to crumble and fail.
They were replaced by brass and bronze products - ball valves made of these materials are somewhat more expensive, but more reliable and durable.
Everything would be fine, but there were “pitfalls” here too - some unscrupulous manufacturers save on the internal elements of ball valves. For this reason, I advise you - never buy ball valves without checking according to my recommendation.
Content:
Read also: Water pump for a private house or cottage: types, principle of operation and selection criteria (Photo & Video) + Reviews
Causes of failure of ball valves
The magnet stuck to the ball, so it's ferrous metal
Ball reliable bronze faucet
There are not so many reasons for the breakdown of water supply taps:
- Materials unsuitable for water supply: steel and silumin
Steel cranes are cheap and strong, but prone to rust, - for this reason, they are not recommended for use in heating and water supply systems. Such cranes will rust in one or two years and jammed.
Silumin, i.e. aluminum alloy valves, although not subject to corrosion, are not very reliable, because this material is destroyed under the influence of water. The solution is simple - do not buy such products for plumbing.
The formation of limescale
- Formation of limescale on the ball
The harder the water, the higher the chance of lime deposits on the moving parts of the faucet. The resulting formations interfere with the operation of the locking mechanisms. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to periodically audit, i.e. open and close the tap once every two months.
Sprayed ball - such a faucet is only suitable for air ducts
- Unscrupulous manufacturers. Externally, the ball valve looks like bronze and in fact is. But, as for the locking ball itself, it can be made of black metal with chrome plating
This coating in no way saves the ball from rust, and in six months such a valve will be impossible to close or open. It cannot be repaired, and you will have to buy a new one.
Read also: Projects of country houses for 6-10 acres: 120 photos, description and requirements | The most interesting ideas How to define "fake"?
Going to the store, you need to grab a small magnet
For what reasons manufacturers go for such a forgery, one can only guess, but we can easily determine. For this we need only a small magnet.
For proper taps for water supply, the body and locking mechanism (ball) must be made of non-ferrous metals: bronze, brass, but they are not magnetic. Therefore, we check the ball with a magnet.
The magnet stuck to the ball, so it's ferrous metal
If magnetic properties are found at the crane - we continue the search.
Conclusion
ball valve
Bronze valves with a metal locking mechanism are only suitable for air pipelines. Therefore, we cannot say that manufacturers specifically manufacture such products in order to increase their turnover, or that the fault lies only with the sellers, for whom profit is above all, we cannot.
Therefore, in order not to overpay and not waste our time on unnecessary replacements, let's be more vigilant, and this simple method will help us with this.
VIDEO: NEVER BUY BALL VALVES UNTESTED BY MY RECOMMENDATION
NEVER BUY BALL VALVES UNTESTED BY MY RECOMMENDATION
A Few Secrets You Should Know When Choosing a Reliable Ball Valve
Thank you
Good article
Very useful information!