Foot valves are an important piece of agricultural equipment. These devices allow water to flow in but not back out. Essentially, they keep a pump primed. Believe it or not, foot valves are useful for various reasons in the agricultural field. This piece will overview the common applications of foot valves in farming so that you know what you need to be successful.

Stop Backflow From Wells and Ponds

Many farmers use well and pond water to care for their livestock and crops. People can do this with foot valves. Essentially, water will run up the pipe as it gets extracted from the well or pond. When the extraction stops, it’s only natural for the remaining water in the pump to flow backward. Foot valves stop this backflow from re-entering the original water supply (the well or pond). By preventing backflow, foot valves stop contaminants from entering the water and potentially harming people and animals.

Keep Pumps Primed

What does it mean to keep a pump primed? Well, it means that you ensure the pump isn’t running dry. When a pump runs dry, the inside components can melt or begin to break. Over time, the entire pump can end up malfunctioning. On the other hand, primed pumps have water sitting within them so that an upward flow can occur when you turn them on.

Prevent Energy Wastage

There are electric pumps out there that can clean water from contaminants. However, they’re expensive and waste lots of energy. Conversely, foot valves are an energy-efficient way to stop backflow from re-entering the water supply. By simply attaching the foot valve to a pump, farmers can keep their water clean and their pump in good condition.

These are just three common applications of foot valves in irrigation This piece has shown how important the devices are for keeping water clean and safe to use. Rural Water Direct has plenty of water pump foot valves that’ll keep pumps from drying out and save farmers energy. Our foot valves help extend a pump’s lifespan so that people don’t need to stress.