The term valve boxes can actually pertain to several different items and applications. For the purpose of this article the term valve box will be referring to the cover that is used to house your meter valves such as your water meter and cut off valve assembly.
The design of or invention of these items was to simplify access to different varieties of water meters that need to be enclosed so they are protected from the elements, yet need to be easily accessible to turn something like the main water line into your home or business off.
In outdoor applications for these products and their covers or lids, you will basically have two choices in materials that they are generally constructed of, a cast iron valve box assembly or a plastic one. There are even a few who combine the two types so you can purchase a special cover box assembly that has parts made of cast iron and parts made of plastic.
Before purchasing the assembly you will need to know the exact diameter you will require to protect the valve in question. These devices come in varying diameters ranging from a small 2 and half inch all the way up to a large 7 inch. You can purchase them in either a slip style or a screw style. Most of the boxes are called assemblies because they come with several accessories. The assembly will generally include: Repair lids, Extensions, Paving risers and Specialty lids.
Water and gas companies alike are more in favor of using the plastic covering over the cast iron models. These protector boxes are often referred to as access these covers. They do provide easy access to important valves. You will also hear them referred to as curbside boxes. The principal is the same they create protective housing for a utility cover that must remain accessible while remaining protected from the elements or from accidental breakage.
Some manufacturers of curbside products have joined the people who are going green to help protect our planets resources and provide a cleaner environment. Some valve boxes are now being manufactured from a material called Superflexon. Superflexon is corrosion-proof. This material has very long use-age expectancy. This material is dependable and strong. The best part of Superflexon is the fact that it is made from recycled materials.
The biggest drawback to the plastic access boxes was the problem when they became lost. Sometimes the area where a valve box is placed goes unused for an extended period of time and since these boxes are mainly placed under ground the grass and weeds can become overgrown to the point that the utility owners and the property owner both forget the exact location of the box.
With the plastic boxes this can mean hours of probing and looking through records or hunting the last employee who might remember the box location. Now there is a wonderful material that is often added to the plastic called Polyiron. Polyiron makes the cover box easily located because it is magnetic.
Author Resource:-
CP Test Services-VALVCO (http://www.cptest.com/) specialty is in the manufacturing of cathodic protection test stations, sewer cleanout caps and gas service curb and valve boxes.
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