Section 22.05.23 covers the general-duty valves used throughout plumbing piping systems, including gate, ball, plug, butterfly, check, and globe valve applications where the project uses one coordinated valve section across Division 22.In practice, that matters because valve quality is rarely just about the valve itself. It is about matching the valve to the service, installing it in a way that preserves access and operability, and documenting every decision so the system still performs after insulation, pressure testing, startup, and turnover.
The checklist follows the three-phase control flow, Preparatory, Initial, and Follow-Up, to make sure valve selection, installation, and closeout are verified before defects become leaks, access problems, or control failures. The FTQ360 version turns those checkpoints into an auditable field record with required photos, valve identification, service verification, and sign-offs tied to real installation locations.
This checklist covers the work from submittal review through final turnover for general-duty plumbing valves used across domestic water, sanitary, storm, and other applicable plumbing systems. It starts with the fundamentals: approved product data, manufacturer installation instructions, valve schedule coordination, potable-water compliance, and receiving inspections so the right valves arrive in acceptable condition.
From there, the checklist moves into first-install verification of valve type, pressure class, flow direction, accessibility, operator height, joining practice, and insulation clearance.
Once production work is underway, the checklist keeps attention on the issues that most often get missed in the field: supports near larger valves, stem orientation, dielectric isolation at dissimilar metals, proper application of shutoff versus throttling valves, butterfly disc clearance, and service limits for plastic-bodied valves.
By closeout, it documents pressure-test results, valve tags, actual installed locations, O&M data, spare materials, and the final acceptance record needed for turnover.
General-duty valve work tends to fail in predictable ways. One of the most common problems is simply installing the wrong valve type or rating for the service. A valve that looks acceptable at rough-in can still be wrong for pressure, temperature, materials, or function, and that usually shows up later as leakage, poor control, or shortened service life.
The prevention is straightforward but discipline-dependent: verify type, size, class, body material, end connection, and service condition before installation begins, not after the piping is assembled.
Another recurring issue is backward installation of flow-direction-sensitive valves. Check valves and similar components can look correct in place yet still be installed against the intended system flow, which creates reverse-flow problems, pump discharge issues, or nonfunctional protection.
The checklist addresses that by forcing an explicit flow-direction check during first installation and again before testing.
Access failures are just as costly. A valve can be technically installed yet become unusable after insulation, finishes, or adjacent work closes in the area. That turns a routine shutoff or balancing point into a maintenance problem and often creates destructive rework later.
Support problems create a different version of the same headache. When larger valves are left unsupported, pipe loads transfer into the valve body, increasing the likelihood of leakage, distortion, or premature wear.
Joining details also create hidden risk. Dirty mating surfaces, poor sealant practice, or omitted dielectric isolation may not be obvious on day one, but those details drive leaks and corrosion later.
Plastic-bodied valves add another layer of exposure because they can be misapplied outside their service temperature or pressure limits even when the installation looks neat.
The point of the checklist is to catch those preventable failures while the work is still visible, correctable, and inexpensive to fix. Those priorities shape the phase-based controls that follow.
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This phase takes place before valve installation begins in earnest. The goal is to remove ambiguity before the crew starts placing valves throughout the system. Review approved product data for each valve service, confirm manufacturer installation instructions are on site, and verify that manufacturer certificates and valve ratings align with the approved submittals.
For potable-water applications, make sure the selected valves are identified for NSF 61 compliance and that the valve schedule clearly separates potable from nonpotable service.
Just as important, use the preparatory phase to coordinate the valve section with the related piping sections that actually drive installation context. This section connects directly to hangers and supports, plumbing insulation, facility water distribution, facility sanitary sewerage, facility storm drainage, and swimming pool plumbing systems.
That means the valve schedule, service applications, support strategy, access needs, operator elevations, and insulation clearances all need to be aligned before rough-in starts. It is also the right time to confirm whether elevated valves require chain-wheel operators, where dielectric transitions will occur, and how record documents and test evidence will be captured.
Receiving and storage controls belong here too. Valves should arrive in labeled shipping containers, be inspected for damage at delivery, and be protected against corrosion where cast-iron or steel bodies are involved.
If any underground valve work is planned, the hold point is simple: no installation proceeds when bedding is wet or frozen. A good preparatory phase does not just check paperwork. It sets the conditions that make the first installation repeatable and defensible.
This phase proves that the work is starting correctly. At the first installed valve in each relevant application, verify that the actual valve matches the approved service condition in type, size, pressure class, temperature rating, body material, and end connection.
This is where field quality either locks in or starts drifting. A clean first-article inspection gives the team a verified installation standard before repetition multiplies mistakes across the project.
The first flow-direction-sensitive valve deserves special attention. Confirm that the manufacturer arrow matches the actual system flow before the assembly disappears into a run of finished piping. At accessible locations, make sure hand wheels, levers, or actuators can be operated without obstruction and that elevated valves include the required chain operator where needed.
In copper systems, the first installation should also confirm the required brass male adapters at each side of the valve with clean soldered connections to the pipe.
Insulated systems need an additional first-install check that often gets overlooked: can the stem or operator still move through its full range once insulation is in place?
That clearance should be demonstrated early, not assumed. This is also the right time to confirm that the first installation reflects the intended application logic, shutoff, throttling, drain, isolation, or check service, so the valve schedule is being translated correctly into the field.
This phase keeps production work inside the specification as the installation expands area by area. Inspect installed valves against the drawings and valve schedule to confirm the service-specific selection is still correct and that flow direction, location, and accessibility remain consistent with the approved design intent.
As crews move faster, the repeatability of joining practice becomes critical, so verify that threaded, soldered, press, or flanged connections are being made with clean mating surfaces and the specified methods for the piping system involved.
Follow-up inspections should keep returning to support and orientation. Valves 2-1/2 inches and larger should not be left carrying pipe load through the body, so confirm they are independently supported near each side of the valve.
Check that stems are installed upright or horizontal rather than inverted, unless manufacturer instructions specifically permit another arrangement. Where butterfly valves are used, verify full disc travel without interference from adjacent flanges, linings, or installation details. Where lug-end butterfly valves isolate equipment, confirm that the field installation still preserves the equipment isolation function the design intended.
This phase is also where material-service mismatches tend to surface. Plastic-bodied PVC, CPVC, and polypropylene valves can only remain in the work if the actual service temperature and pressure stay within their approved limits.
Meanwhile, visible leakage around packing, corrosion exposure, or loss of traceability should be corrected while the work is still open. The point is not just to inspect more often. It is to prevent small installation errors from becoming system-wide testing failures or turnover disputes.
All of the work culminates with a final result, and this phase confirms that the installed valve package is ready for testing, turnover, and long-term operation. Hydrostatic pressure testing should demonstrate zero leakage for the installed systems, with results recorded by location and system so failures can be traced and corrected without ambiguity. Final acceptance also depends on valve identification.
Each valve should be tagged with a unique service designation that matches the valve schedule, because a well-installed valve still creates operational risk if the owner cannot identify it later.
Closeout for this section is more than a folder of paperwork. Record documents should capture actual valve locations, and turnover should include installation instructions, spare parts information, exploded assembly views, and the specified spare packing kits.
Before startup or owner handoff, make one last review of insulation clearance, accessibility, support, dielectric isolation, and the actual application of shutoff, throttling, and check valves throughout the system. Where combination balancing valves are part of the design, final setpoints should also be entered into the commissioning record so the installed condition matches the operating intent.
FTQ360 runs on tablets and phones online or offline, so inspectors can capture valve photos, service confirmations, location records, and corrective actions in the field and sync later. Required fields and conditional logic help prevent skipped checks at the points where valve work most often fails, especially around identification, flow direction, support, and closeout evidence. Time and user stamps keep the record auditable, while linked locations and tagged assets make it easier to trace recurring problems back to a specific area, crew, or installation condition.
Prefer the FTQ360 in-app setup? Open Checklist Setup → Library, search for the code and tap to clone the checklist. Then tailor checkpoint templates to your project requirements. If your team still needs paper in select areas, you can print the PDF from the FTQ360 app, mark it up in the field, then transcribe results and attach photos later, just note that paper will not enforce required fields, conditional logic, or holds the way the app does. For step-by-step help, visit support.ftq360.com.
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