Follow the Arrows | Flow Direction

As you go about fulfilling your daily job responsibilities, it can be easy to fall prey to a sense of routine causing you to lose your focus and attention to detail.  This can happen to the most experienced employee or the new guy on the block.  Our workforce has installed miles of pipe and thousands upon thousands of piping specialties and devices.   However, through many of our client’s eyes, our company is only as good as the last project we completed or the current project we are performing for them.

Losing that focus and attention to details results in the cost of troubleshooting and rework to correct a problem.  This impacts not only the bottom line for the profitability of that project but can also cost us long-term by damaging relationships with owners, end-users, general contractors, architects, engineers, etc.

For example, even though it seems like a pretty simple concept, piping specialties and devices get installed backwards more often than most would think.  First and foremost, it is important to understand the flow of the system.  If unsure of the correct system flow, check the drawings or check with the superintendent. 

Check valves, strainers, balance valves, control valves, etc. generally have the required flow direction indicated on them.  For example, while some strainers and balance valves look the same, the required flow through them is opposite.  If the installer is not paying close attention, the valve can get installed in what would appear to be the correct orientation, but once you look at the flow designation on the valve, it clearly indicates the opposite flow direction.

The cost of troubleshooting and rework to correct the problem could be easily avoided by simply following the arrows.  If direction of flow can’t be found, or is not indicated on the device, you can refer to the submittal for installation details.  And again, it never hurts to ask, we are surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and experience in our workforce.