We've all had valve installation jobs we'd rather just forget about. They seem to take forever, have a ton of bolts to secure, require serious blocking to reach those awkward bolts at the bottom and often require a minimum of two people to get them in place and installed properly. This takes a lot of time that you don't always have! Team EJP understands your frustrations. Fortunately, there's a much easier option available from one of our partners. Learn more about the Alpha valve below.
With over a century in the water utility industry, American Cast Iron Pipe Company has plenty of experience in how to create a high-quality solution to waterworks problems. American is the original developer and manufacturer of the mechanical joint in 1929, driving the new standard for rubber gasket pipe systems. With their talent for innovation, they're now bringing a new ROMAC Industries Alpha joint product to the market: the Alpha valve.
Developed to create better work efficiency, the Alpha joint provides a faster, simpler solution to joining pipes to the valve. Instead of having up to sixteen bolts on the ends and up to sixteen per restraint to tighten as you would in a standard restrained mechanical joint, the Alpha joint acts a bit more like the hose clamp that ties your radiator hose to your engine. The Alpha valve has one connection on each side, so you'll only need to tighten two bolts total to lock the valve in place in your water supply system. Because these stainless steel bolts are located at the top of the joint, you will almost never need to use blocking to change the height of the junction.
When you need to quickly change out a valve that has failed in your system, you need to get the job done quickly to restore water service to your customers. Because it is so easy to position and tighten, it's an excellent option when time is of the essence or when you have a lot of valves to install in a short amount of time. Because your crew can install these valves so much more quickly than standard restrained mechanical joints, they'll be able to get more done on a daily basis, saving you a lot of labor costs.
This wedge gate valve is available for pipes from 4" to 12" in diameter. It also works very well with the American-Darling and Waterous fire hydrants. It comes with the restraint accessories already attached, which is another time saver for your crew and utility. It's also compatible with a wide range of pipe types, including ductile iron, cast iron, PVC and HDPE pipe, covering most of the pipe you'll encounter in the field. With all these features, this could quite possibly be the last gate valve you need.
By implementing Alpha valves into your system, you'll be able to get the job done more quickly while still enjoying high quality performance. That leaves your crew with time to take care of additional repairs, see to proactive maintenance or get that new expansion laid out and ready to go. If you need help finding the right solution for your water utility, Team EJP is ready to help. Please feel free to contact us today and discover the difference E.J. Prescott can make for your waterworks issues.
