How long should a foot valve last?

[watpress]

I am pumping water out of a lake. The water quality is reasonably good. I am using a simple brass and stainless steel foot valve which has been trouble free for about 5 years now. How long should I expect this type of foot valve to last?

 

[Valveman]

Pumping from a lake you can always get a fish bone, leaf, or blade of grass in the foot valve and even a new one would fail. But just like everything else in a pump system the life of the foot valve depends on how many times the pump cycles on and off and how hard it slams on pump stop. Adding a Cycle Stop Valve will make the pump, tank, and even the foot valve last several times longer than normal.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Banjo Bud]

Can you get to and see the valve? If yes, first see if something is stuck in it. A leaf, a stick, fishing line etc. If it’s clean, just replace it. They’re cheap and easy to replace. Then take a look at the old one to see what the sealing surfaces look like. Could be marred up by something that hit it hard or maybe just worn from sand running over it. If it’s clean, could be just a poorly manufactured valve. Maybe a Monday morning valve. But if you can get to it easily, just replace it every 5 years.