Commercial Articles

Therma-Seal Insulating Tee-Handle

October 10, 2017

Since building codes now require insulation on all pipes conducting heated and cooled liquid, often the valve handles need to be extended to rise abov...
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Three Critical Selection Tips to Ensure Optimal Performance From Your Valves

October 18, 2017

Valves are key pieces of any piping system that help control, limit, and shut off flow. They are used in a wide range of applications, from...
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When and where should you use a three-piece ball valve?

January 22, 2018

Ball valves are quarter-turn operation valves commonly used in shutoff applications. They are designed with a spherical ball with a hole through it, h...
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"Apollo" products help keep U.S. Bank Stadium running smoothly

January 29, 2018

The Big Game is just a few days away, and ecstatic football fans cannot hide their excitement as the showdown approaches. This year, U.S. Bank Stadiu...
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Simple tips to help your valves last longer

January 2, 2018

It’s a no-brainer that poorly maintained equipment doesn’t live as long as it should. Lack of maintenance or poor maintenance practices of...
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5 Reasons 'Made in the USA' Matters

July 12, 2018

Manufacturing is about turning raw materials into products of value. It grows our economy and raises our standard of living. It creates jobs and build...
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The dangers of water hammer

March 26, 2018

The first sign that you've got a water hammer problem is usually a sudden banging in the pipes. Then you might notice a pulsating flow and see the...
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Common causes of valve leakages and how to prevent them

March 20, 2018

The most common reasons for valve leakages are old age, damage, and poor installation or maintenance. Valves used in industrial applications such as c...
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Key tips to note when selecting a control valve style

March 12, 2018

Choosing a control valve style that is perfect for your specific project can be as daunting as settling on the right valve sizing, design, and functio...
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Valves in Action: The role of valves in solar energy

March 14, 2018

It's easy to see the attraction of solar energy. There's no drilling or digging, you just collect it where it falls. Photovoltaics – bla...
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Understanding the pressure drop factor

March 6, 2018

You can blow through one drinking straw, but what if you join two together? Three? Four? We've all tried it, and we learned that it's quite ha...
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Mind your size: What is valve sizing and why is it important?

February 20, 2018

Control valves come in many different styles, shapes, and sizes. As we’ve written about before, choosing the right valve type for a specific app...
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Matching valve body material to application

February 12, 2018

Most valves are available with bodies made of bronze, brass, cast iron, or steel. Their appearance and cost vary, but those should never be the main c...
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Benefits of automatic flow control valves over manual flow control valves

February 5, 2018

Over the years, there has been debate on how best to resolve the balancing issues in many systems. Some of the most common suggestions put forward inc...
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Six types of valves and their applications

January 8, 2018

Today, there are several different types of valves that have been developed to target a specific use. Some valves are meant to operate in certain envi...
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Why you should opt for diaphragm actuated control valves

May 8, 2018

Diaphragm actuated, hydraulic controlled valves are the most relied-upon regulators in the waterworks industry. They have been in use for over 100 yea...
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Safety valves in critical applications

April 3, 2018

A safety valve is crucial in many critical applications such as petroleum refinery, chemical manufacturing, power generation, petrochemicals and natur...
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Top 7 questions you should ask when purchasing control valves

April 9, 2018

When purchasing control valves today, you have to do more than just consider price and quality. Valves now come in many different designs, styles, mat...
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Valves in Action: The role of valves in fire safety

April 11, 2018

You probably walk past them in every hotel, office building, or mall you visit: big brass valves with couplings for fire hoses or connections to sprin...
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Selecting a valve to regulate flow rate

April 17, 2018

In some plumbing systems, you just need to turn the flow on and off. Others need more precise control of the flow rate. Cooling and lubricating applic...
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This Earth Day, consider your water footprint

April 20, 2018

Water is a common topic in the valve industry, but what about conserving water? According to the Nature Conservancy, when we combine normal water use...
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All about actuators

May 22, 2018

An actuator is a device that converts energy into motion or is used to apply force. The device takes energy from a source -- which could be energy cre...
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Valves in Action: The role of valves in the papermaking industry

May 16, 2018

It takes a lot of water to make paper – by some accounts, 14,000 gallons to produce a ton – and that means a lot of valves. In the paperma...
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Four things to know about check valves

June 19, 2018

Pressure dictates the direction of flow through pipes, but it's not always reliable. Sudden pressure changes – like when someone opens a fau...
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What is the importance of a positioner in a control valve?

June 13, 2018

Valve positioners are gadgets that are used in control valves to guide them into the perfect position by increasing or lowering the air load pressure...
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Valves and fugitive emissions

March 5, 2019

Fugitive emissions are no laughing matter, and valves are usually the culprit. Even if they don't get you into trouble with your neighbors or the...
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Four functions of valves

February 19, 2019

From manufacturing equipment to chemicals processing, and within every home and business that receives natural gas, electricity, and drinking water, v...
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Ball valve or butterfly valve?

February 6, 2019

Ball valves and butterfly valves do the same job, but there are differences between them. Whether you're designing plumbing, carrying out an insta...
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Valves in Action: Everyday applications of safety valves

December 12, 2018

In the early days of steam boilers, the machines had an unfortunate habit of, well, exploding. Part of the problem was that operators would turn up th...
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Addressing water sustainability

September 5, 2018

Consumers are becoming more and more conscious of their water footprints. That’s why contractors and vendors of plumbing hardware are fielding m...
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“Apollo” Valves – 90 years of “Made in the USA”

January 3, 2019

“Apollo’s” commercial and industrial valves are designed, engineered, cast, machined, assembled, and tested in our state-of-the-art...
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Looking for water treatment options?

January 23, 2019

Water quality has been in the news a lot lately. Lead and PFAS chemicals have been hogging the headlines, but copper and various kinds of micro-organi...
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Types of pump cavitation

July 10, 2018

Cavitation is one of the most common problems for centrifugal pumps. If you’ve been hearing excessive noises from your pump during use, chances...
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Selecting valves for saturated steam service

July 31, 2018

For such a simple substance, steam has a long list of uses. Power generation, sterilization, and of course heating are among the most common. As with...
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What are the various methods of connecting valves to piping?

July 25, 2018

For valves to function as they are supposed to, they must be connected to a piping system. In any piping system, it is highly crucial that any connect...
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Pump cavitation warning signs and how to avoid it

September 26, 2018

Pump cavitation is a common problem in many pumping applications. It occurs when air bubbles are created in a liquid being transported because of rapi...
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What is the importance of pipe insulation?

August 21, 2018

If you live in a cold climate, you know the importance of having insulation in your home’s attics and walls. What you may not know is how benefi...
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5 things to check during a pressure reducing valve’s maintenance

August 8, 2018

Proper care and maintenance on all types of valves cannot be emphasized enough. If they are not maintained properly during their lifetime, they will e...
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