CBL’s float valves help prevent costly pipe damage Last Update: Oct 02, 2002

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Pressure surges caused by water hammer damages pipes. Water hammer is the instantaneous increase in water pressure when water flowing in a pipe stops abruptly. The resulting pressure shock causes pipes to bang loudly and can result in costly damage to supply pipes and fittings. With small diameter pipes (causing high velocity flow rates) used extensively in residential plumbing systems, lack of effective air cushions (water hammer arrestors), and increasing use of rapid shut-off valves (such as servo valves in washing machines, and rapid shut-off toilet fill valves) water hammer problems have become more common, troublesome and more difficult to correct. Thermal expansion results in similar but gradual pressure increases to damage supply lines. Toilet fill valves (like Burlington Brass & Scovill brands produced by CESCO BRASS, Ltd.) work against water pressure (pressure differential) rather than with the water pressure. Valves like the Burlington 20A open slightly to relieve thermal expansion pressure increases as well as pressure increases and shock conditions from water hammer, serving as quasi pressure relief valves. Water (unlike air) compresses only slightly at increased pressure, only small amounts of water need to be discharged infrequently, harmlessly and quietly into the toilet tank.