7 Types of Water Shutoff Valves
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Gate Valve
Gate valves are usually found near the water heater, where one with a blue handle controls the cold water inlet and one with a red handle controls the hot water outlet.
When you turn the spoked wheel handle, it actuates a screw drive that moves a flat metal partition (gate), inside the valve, up and down. With the gate fully closed, the water is shut off. But you can adjust the flow to a limited extent by leaving the gate partially open.
Like ball valves, gate valves are bidirectional, meaning water can flow through them in either direction. They can be made of brass or PVC with screw thread, glue or sweat connections. They’re used as frequently as ball valves for main water shutoffs.
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Globe Valve
From the outside, a globe valve looks like a gate valve except for one feature: The valve body underneath the handle bulges slightly outward. Inside, the mechanisms of the two are different.
Instead of lifting and lowering a gate, the handle operates a plunger that presses against a valve seat when the valve is closed. There’s also a baffle that separates the inlet path from the outlet, reducing water pressure on the outlet side. The mechanism allows for more accurate pressure control.
Unlike a gate valve, a globe valve is unidirectional. It has clearly marked inlet and outlet ports and must be installed so that water passes through it in the right direction.
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Angled Fixture Valve
Also known as a stop valve or angle stop, this is the common under-sink valve that’s also used for toilets. Most are made of chrome, brass or plastic. As the name suggests, the inlet and outlet ports are usually at right angles to each other.
The ports are also usually different sizes. The inlet port is usually 1/2- or 3/4-in. in diameter, while the outlet can be 1/4- to 1/2-in.-dia. Angle stops may have sweat or threaded connections, but most have compression fittings. These allow you to connect them to straight lengths of pipe without glue or solder.
Some angle stops incorporate gate or globe valves. Most contemporary ones contain ball valves, and you rotate the handle through 90 degrees to shut off the water.
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