Swimming pool check valve installation

Pool check valves keep water in the pool pump when it shuts off. They help inground pools have a fast prime by keeping the water inside the pump and filter while not allowing dirt from back-flowing into the pool. Check valves in solar pool heaters help keep the solar system from draining down once the pump turns off. You could also put another valve on the pipe that returns from the system.

Placing one here will prevent the water from going back through the panels after the system is turned off. Chlorinators can use check valves to keep chlorine from going back into the filters , heaters , or other equipment.

This will help keep your equipment from getting damaged from too much chlorine. Remember, water wants to go down. When you put a fountain or spa at a higher level than the water in a pool, the water will drain when the pump turns off. Check valves keep water from going down gravity draining when you are not using these other water features.

For pools with spas, you might need a blower line that adds air to the jets in the spa. Many builders put the blower on top of a tall pipe.

This way, water will not get into it and ruin it. Builders often put a check valve on it so that water does not get back in there and destroy the blower. Ozonators often use a ball check valve right on the ozone feed pipe.

They help keep gas flowing in a single direction while not allowing water to flow back into the ozone chamber. Pool spas use a bypass line to keep them clean and circulated. If the valves are closed, the overflow line sends water to the spa returns. In Spa Mode, a check valve is used on the overflow pipe to keep water from looping backward. The type of check valve you should use will depend on the purpose. Regarding pool maintenance , there are three different types of check valves that you can use — spring check valves, swing check valves, and ball check valves.

A pool spring check valve is a clever device with an internal panel that travels against a spring to open and close the valve. With a spring flapper check valve, there is a flap on one of the valve ends. This flap pivots against a spring once the water starts coming out of the pump. The flap then releases downward, which closes any flow that would reverse course after turning the pump off.

While spring check valves can be used in pools and spas, many people prefer to use swing check valves. There are two reasons for this:. The final type of pool check valve is ball check valves. To capture the sun's heat efficiently the piping in the solar panels must be full of water continuously. Without a check valve to stop backward flow, the water in the piping would be suck back down when the pump is shut off.

The check valve should be installed in the pipe leading up to the solar panels. Step 4 SPA - The level water in your spa is often higher than the water level in your pool. When water to the spa is shut off, the spa water level would drain to the level of the pool water.

A check valve is installed to maintain the level of the spa water. A check valve is installed in the line to the water feature to keep the reservoir from draining when the pump is shut off. Add a Comment. This can not be right. If it is a check valve, this would disable the function of the normal valve. Thanks Reply. Or is this gathered from somewhere else?

You can put a check valve on the return line to prevent leaks when disconnecting the pump and filter. But you can accomplish the same thing with a plugin, the return port. Use the new O-rings. Hand tighten. You should not need to use a wrench if the O-rings are sound and in their grooves. If they drip slightly, you can tighten the Unions a little more.

If that doesn't stop the leak, take the Unions apart agains and check the O-ring setting. Add a Comment. Just the valve itself. Try asking the pool builders in your area.

They may have someone that worked on pools 20 years ago. Also when we turn on the spa the water also flows back into the pool very quickly.

I'm told that I should "check" the check valve but there is no check valve visable. Someone mentioned that years ago builders placed then under ground.