VALVE MAGAZINE Summer 2025

If you are hearing this sound from your check valves continually, your check valve (and/or spring if it’s spring loaded) is oversized for your application. Essentially, there is not enough ow to fully open the particular check valve part number currently installed in the system. In the case of a swing or double-door (butter y) type check valve, often your only option is to reduce valve size (as compared to line size) to try to create more ow velocity to fully open the check valve. For a piston/poppet or ball-type check valve, they are typi cally spring-loaded. There can be two options with this type of check valve (depending on the manufacturer/valve series): • Reduce valve size to increase pressure drop to try to get the check valve fully open (just like a swing or double door check). • Reduce the spring cracking pressure so that less pressure drop is needed to fully open the check valve. Your next question may be, “Well, how can I ensure that the check valve I’m selecting for my in-line checking application will be fully open (no potential for valve chatter)?” Great question, and the good news is there are answers!

What’s the Chatter About Check Valves?

BY: Noah Miller, Applications/Engineered Sales Manager COMPANY: CHECK-ALL VALVE

Q D 2

Have you ever heard a check valve chatter? Having been on numerous job sites and spoken with maintenance personnel at many di erent corporations over the years, it seems to be a common occurrence. When asked if they have heard check valves chattering (typically a clink-clink clink type sound happening rapidly) they have all heard that sound at one time or another.

V = 0.408

Where: V = Water velocity inside the pipe (ft/second) Q = Flow rate of water inside pipe (gpm) D = Pipe inside diameter (in)

Caption: (L to R): Threaded bronze swing check valve; flanged stainless swing check valve; flanged carbon butterfly check valve; flanged bronze spring-loaded ball check valve; stainless flange insert spring-loaded piston check valve. Photos Source: VMA Valve Basics Course.

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