Gate valve for hot water radiator?

RonABC_2

I am re-posting this question since I think my last post got lost in a prior thread ("Installing Radiators in Basement").



My question is, "Is it okay to use gate valves for hot water cast iron radiators?"



I had to get straight valves instead of angle valves for installing 3 radiators in a basement level apartment.  In the prior thread, Charlie from wmass wrote, "The gate style are for steam, the gasket (globe) style are for hot water only."  However, the person that I have who is connecting up the three cast iron radiators in the basement bought three straight gate style valves instead of straight gasket (globe) style valves.  Is it okay to just go ahead and use these gate style valves for the hot water system, or will that be a problem?



Thanks.

Jamie Hall

Yes and no

They'll work fine for what they are meant for: either fully open, or fully closed.  Just remember that one never, ever uses a gate valve for throttling (part open) applications.  If it should chance to cross your mind that you might want to turn a radiator down a bit, but not all the way off, you must use a globe valve or a ball valve (with globe style vastly preferred).

RonABC_2

RE: Yes and No

Thanks.  The main purpose of the valves will be for throttling (part open) purposes so the tenants will be able to adjust the heat to some extent in individual rooms.  So, I guess if using gate valves for that purpose would be a bad idea, I'll need to return the valves that were already bought and get globe valves.  The person who bought the three gate valves went to a plumbing and heating supply place and said he needed 3 radiator valves.  Maybe he didn't say it was hot water and not steam or maybe the plumbing supply place didn't ask.  But they gave him 3 gate valves.  When I look on the Internet, I don't really see any straight (not angle) radiator valves.  All of the straight valves I see are gate valves.

bob eck

valve

why not use a ball valve

Jamie Hall

I'd use

a straight quarter turn ball valve -- you should be able to get them in pretty much any size and end fitting at a plumbing supply house.  In fact, I think I've seen them at the local big box -- though I wouldn't vouch for their quality... (for that matter, one of my two local plumbing supply houses has the same valves as the big box, come to think of it.  At a higher price.  Sigh...)

Oak Park Electric

Sideways rad valve

Just read the other post again...  if I'm reading it right, there is no reason you can't use regular radiator valves and union elbows, and just have them come out of the wall 90 degrees from where they would usually come from the floor.  I just did one in a basement this way, will post picture if I can find it.