6
7
8
9
P
H
O
T
O
S
:
A
N
T
H
O
N
Y
T
I
E
U
L
I
4 > Pressure- Reducing Valve
“This device goes on the water main coming into a
building in areas where the municipal water is supplied
at a pressure that is too high, anything over 75 psi. Its
spring-loaded core acts like a shock absorber, sending
water at just the right amount of pressure—we look for
45 to 50 psi—into the house.”
5 > Standard Stop-and- Waste Valve
“The most common plumbing valves all stop and
regulate the fl ow of water, but their design has evolved
over the years. The standard stop-and-waste valve,
which is still used for branch lines in houses, relies on a
rubber washer that will wear out eventually. A better
option is the gate valve, which has a guillotine bronze
wedge driven down into a gate to close off water; it has
long been used on water mains. But it has its
limitations, too; over time electrolysis can rot the
threads into a closed position.”
6 > Gas-Fired Tank-Type
Water Heater
“No cutaway has given us more mileage than Old
Rusty Water Heater. It’s the only way you can see
the important components inside—the dip tube, the
anode rod, and the steel tank construction—and
get a sense of why every water heater has a limited
life span due to corrosion.”
7 > Ball Valve
“The invention of the ball valve was revolutionary. It
has a stainless-steel ball inserted next to a special
material that will never wear out. It is clearly the valve
of choice. Many plumbers now use ball valves
everywhere for their long service life.”
8 > Temperature and Pressure
Relief Valve
“This is absolutely one of the most important safety
devices in a house, designed to relieve pressure if a
water heater ever gets to an unsafe pressure. We don’t
want water heaters ever going airborne again.”
9 > Water-Hammer Arrester
“So many plumbing complaints begin with, ‘It makes a
noise like this...’ and that’s generally because too much
water is moving through a pipe and then stopping
suddenly. That’s where the ‘water hammer’ reference
comes in. An arrester is basically a chamber that sits
inside the plumbing system with a neoprene gasket
inside and air pressure on one side and water on the
other. Oncoming water hits the equivalent of a
trampoline—the gasket, which acts like a shock
absorber, then lets water pass through.”