What Kind of Valves Are Used With Gas Pipes?

Valve Features

• The most common valve used for gas pipes is the shutoff valve. This valve acts as a door for the flowing gas. The gas will pass freely or not at all. Typically, a building has two different valve location types. One shutoff valve is referred to as the main valve. This valve attaches directly to the gas meter, controlling gas flow into the entire structure. Alternatively, there are multiple supply shutoff valves placed at each individual appliance within the building. Homeowners can easily stop gas flow to a particular appliance for repairs, rather than cutting off all gas flow at the gas meter.

Manual Shutoff Valve

• The manual shutoff valve requires a person to physically turn the valve's internal shutoff assembly with a wrench. This shutoff valve can be used for both the main and supply valves throughout the home. However, this valve type requires a person to be present at the building if an emergency occurs. A building may be susceptible to fire or explosion from a leaking gas pipe if no one is present for accessing the manual shutoff valve during an emergency.

Earthquake Actuated Valve

• An earthquake-actuated valve is a shutoff valve with a shaking sensor. The shaking sensor is preset to automatically shut the gas supply off if earthquake shaking rises above a certain level. The preset shaking level typically correlates with a violent movement that can damage gas piping, possibly causing a significant leak. Unlike manual shutoff valves, earthquake-actuated shutoff valves react automatically without the need for a person to be present.

Excess Flow Valve

• Another shutoff valve type is the excess flow valve. This valve uses sensors that regulate the gas volume within the piping. The gas flow will be cut off if the gas volume exceeds a preset value within the piping. This automatic reaction allows a building owner to find the excess gas flow cause and repair it before any gas leak can occur.