K-Valve Background Story – An Australian Plumbing Solution

Background story

Reliable sewer and stormwater pipes are critical to ensuring the integrity of our complex drainage systems. On installation, these wastewater systems are tested to meet the Australian and New Zealand Standards. The limitations and risks of the current testing methods are well-known to plumbers. Read on for a modern and Australian plumbing solution.

Plumbing injuries are common, not limited to cuts, abrasions, sprains and dislocations from inserting a hand into the pipework to locate the hand-tensioned test plug. Spinal and strain injuries also occur from working in constrained and often very awkward workspaces. These hand-tensioned test plugs can dislodge and block the lower pipework, which is why plumbers use wire, blocks of wood, tape and other individualised methods to try and avoid this.

Inventor, Glenn Knight is a plumber with first-hand experience of the difficulty and injuries of traditional wastewater testing methods. After validating similar experiences with other plumbers, Glenn set out to improve the testing method with an Australian plumbing solution.

After rigorous engineering and testing, the result is an easy-to-use and reliable system that allows the K-Valve Test Plug to be easily located and removed, literally in seconds, with no injury risk and no chance of the plug dislodging.

The Patented and Watermarked K-Valve System include the Standard or Expansion Inspection Openings, which come with a pass-through insert and permanent cap, and the slide-in pneumatic test plug with an integrated relief valve and test cap.

K-Valve is an Australian plumbing solution that can be used in domestic, industrial and commercial projects and has received recognition and accreditation in Australia and New Zealand.

Installation walkthrough

With the K Valve Inspection opening installed in the main sewer or wastewater pipe, as per the current methods, remove the permanent cap and pass-through insert. Insert the slide-in plug and secure it with the test cap.

Then close the relief valve and backfill a section of pipe with sufficient water to check for any leakage.

Once testing is complete, open the relief valve to drain the water. Remove the test plug and return the pass-through insert and permanent cap to complete the testing process.

The K-Valve System is an innovative Australian Plumbing Solution that offers a replacement for the traditional, difficult to work with and injury-prone hand-tensioned plug system. The time saving means that the fitted cost (fittings cost + labour cost) is much the same as the traditional methods, and that’s before injuries and the consequences of dislodged plugs are included.

Visit the K-Valve website or contact us for further information on how you can order this revolutionary product.