Foot valves are an essential part of an optimally functioning irrigation system. They ensure your water supply is crisp, clean, and contaminant-free. Your crops get what they need to thrive through them. As a result, you can expect to see more abundance in your harvests each season.
But just like any other piece of equipment, foot valves eventually start to wear out. This shouldn’t come as a shock. After all, they filter out gallons of liquid daily and can only last for so long. Fortunately, there are a few strategies that can help extend the life of your foot valves.
Things That Impact Valve Longevity
It’s wise to discuss what sort of things impact foot valve longevity before delving deeper into ways we might extend their lifespan. Various factors contribute to wear and tear on these pieces of equipment.
But those that affect foot valves most drastically include:
- Extreme temperatures
- Excessive system pressure
- Cycle rate and lubrication
- Materials and installation
The combination of these things over time contributes to the deterioration of your valves. But the good news is that protecting and keeping them intact is pretty straightforward.
How To Protect Them
Here are three ways to protect your foot valves so that you can use them for a long time.
#1. Ensure Proper Installation and Opt for Quality
Whether you’re talking about a vehicle’s engine or the wheel on a bike, proper installation is essential to the function and longevity of any mechanism. Foot valves are no exception to this rule. For this reason, it’s imperative to ensure that you correctly install your foot valves the first time.
Moreover, be sure that the irrigation pump foot valve you go with has high-performance materials built that’ll last. Doing so will ensure that your valve can withstand the pressure, temperatures, and everyday wear it will inevitably endure.
#2. Make Maintenance a Regular Thing
Making maintenance a part of your routine is another essential aspect of ensuring that your foot valves last longer. Certain features of your equipment might break down. This doesn’t always result in a total replacement. Most times, a quick examination can help you get to the root of the issue.
Once you identify the problem, it might just be a matter of ordering replacement parts and cracking open your toolkit to perform basic maintenance tasks. Regular assessments and necessary maintenance are excellent ways to ensure that your valve has a long lifespan.
#3. Invest in Repairs Early On
Regular maintenance is crucial for keeping your valves pristine for longer. But tightening a few things and making some tweaks may not always be necessary. Sometimes, your foot valves require more extensive repairs.
So if you find a more significant problem, don’t try to get away with a quick fix. Repair it thoroughly as soon as you’re able. Doing so will keep the integrity of your foot valve intact. Plus, it’ll save you the time and money involved with a full-blown valve replacement.
Final Thoughts
In short, foot valves are an essential part of an optimal irrigation system. For this reason, understanding how to get the maximum lifespan out of them is crucial. Hopefully, our brief guide gave you some valuable insight into the simple methods you can use to extend the life of this vital equipment.
