Valves play an important role in controlling the passage of fluid through pipes, and it’s common to ignore them until something goes wrong. But proper valve maintenance can go a long way in preventing problems from occurring in the first place.
Benefits of valve maintenance :
- Reliability : The ability of a valve to operate or perform as expected, as and when required, is the biggest payback in a valve maintenance program
- Extended life : Valves that are regularly operated last longer. Also, operation and maintenance costs are always less than cost of untimely valve replacement.
Components of a valve O&M program :
- Identify all valves in the supply and distribution system
- Note condition of valve and gears / actuators
- Identify problematic valves and schedule necessary repairs / rectification
- Operate the valves from fully open to fully closed positions
- Maintain detailed records for each valve (i.e. operating direction, no. of turns, condition of valve components, location coordinates, leakage, if any, etc.)
