Plumbing valves from Flühs are high-quality products, which are based on about 100 years of experience.
Flühs is a manufacturer specializing in sanitary engineering and valve technology that exports to more than 50 countries around the world.
If you have any questions about our plumbing valves, please contact info@fluehs.de or call us on +49 2351 975-0. Plumbing valves are components of fittings that regulate and control the flow of liquids in sanitary systems. Plumbing valves play a central role in sanitary engineering, as they are crucial to the functionality of fittings. The different types of plumbing valves differ mainly in their design, the materials used in their construction, and their specific function (for example, shutting off or diverting the flow).
This article describes the basic structure of a plumbing valve and how it works, as well as the different types of plumbing valves.
A plumbing valve is a functional component used to control, regulate, or shut off liquids (usually water).
A plumbing valve consists of a housing or head piece, inlets and outlets for integration into the pipe system, a closing element (such as ceramic discs, cone discs, or balls), an actuating element, and sealing elements that ensure reliable sealing.
Plumbing valves operate on a simple mechanism. The closing element (like a cone or a ball) is moved parallel to the direction of flow in the pipe. The closing element moves with the sealing surface into an opening, the valve seat, which blocks the pipe and thus stops the flow of liquids. If the pipe is partially blocked, the movement of the closing element reduces the diameter of the opening, thereby reducing the flow.
The housing or head of a plumbing valve is made of corrosion-resistant material, including brass or stainless steel.
The manually, mechanically, or electrically operated actuator controls the opening and closing of the valve. It performs the appropriate mechanical movement to either allow or shut off the flow.
Sealing washers are responsible for sealing and controlling the flow of water. They prevent water from escaping at the junctions between components in the valve. Furthermore, the sealing washers ensure that the flow is completely stopped when the pipe is shut off. Sealing washers are often made of plastic or ceramic. However, ceramic surpasses plastic in many qualitative properties. Due to its wear resistance, ceramic is extremely durable, requires little maintenance, and is characterized by its smooth operation. Plastic sealing discs deform over time when exposed to high pressure in the pipe. In contrast, ceramic remains dimensionally stable and seals reliably, especially at high pipe pressures.
There are various types of plumbing valves, some of which differ in design depending on their area of application.
There are many different types of plumbing valves, such as check valves, shut-off valves, diaphragm valves, thermostatic valves, and free-flow valves.
Check valves, also known as non-return valves, are valves that allow liquids to flow in only one direction and are used in heating and cooling systems as well as in regular building services. One example of a check valve is the KFR valve from Flühs, which uses a spring-mounted sealing cone to ensure that the valve only allows flow in one direction.
Diverter valves for bathroom fittings are valves that specifically divert the flow in pipes, for example from the bathtub to the hand shower or between the overhead shower and side shower. They are used to control multiple water paths within a plumbing system and are a central functional element in modern bathroom fittings.With its Motion valves, Flühs Drehtechnik offers a durable and precise solution for water diversion. Flühs Motion valves reliably divert premixed water to 2 or 3 separate water paths, enabling convenient operation of different consumption points within a single fitting. The compact design, high switching precision, and maintenance-free ceramic technology make the Motion valve the ideal component for high-quality bathroom fittings. Depending on the installation situation and customer requirements, variants in various sizes with different operating directions and connection configurations are available. Flühs diverter valves are designed for long-term use, meet the highest requirements for tightness, usability, and service life, and can be flexibly integrated into various faucet solutions.
Shut-off valves are fittings used to control flow in water pipes in residential and industrial buildings. Flühs' wide range of valve technology includes numerous valves with integrated shut-off functions, such as the Progressiv valve.
With its Progressiv valve, Flühs Drehtechnik offers an innovative solution that sets new standards in compactness, energy efficiency, safety, and ease of use. The valve impresses with its progressive opening behavior. The Progressiv starts with cold water regardless of the previously set temperature, eliminating the risk of scalding. The mixing function is integrated into the Progressiv valve. It is also characterized by its smooth operation in compact fittings.
A thermostatic valve is a valve used in sanitary systems to control the proportions of hot and cold water depending on a predefined target temperature and ensures a constant outlet temperature, regardless of pressure or temperature fluctuations in the pipe. Thermostatic valves ensure a constant outlet temperature of the mixed water by expanding or contracting a thermoactive expansion material in the thermocouple. The expansion or contraction causes the slide valve (plunger) to displace mechanically within the valve. This regulates the flow rate of hot and cold water, ensuring a constant water temperature.
Flühs thermostatic valves are characterized across all sizes by high-quality components made from special brass, which enable maximum response speeds and a constant water temperature thanks to the use of the patented differential drive.
A diaphragm valve is a multi-turn valve in which the tappet rotates by more than 360° to fully open or close the valve. This type of valve uses a flexible diaphragm. Flühs Drehtechnik uses ceramic sealing discs to regulate flow, as these are very durable and require little maintenance.
KFR valves are combined free-flow valves with backflow preventers and are mainly used in drinking water installations. The integrated backflow preventer ensures that water only flows through the component in one direction. Flühs KFR valves use sealing cones to block backflow.
Free-flow valves are flow-optimized valves for shutting off drinking water installations. Unlike other valves, the valve disc in free-flow valves moves completely out of the flow channel when opened, which ensures a larger free flow area. The water in free-flow valves flows smoothly with little noise. Free-flow valves from Flühs are made of durable, high-alloy brass and ensure high flow rates.
Plumbing valves are a core competence in Flühs' sanitary engineering.
Flühs is a leading global manufacturer of plumbing valves for the fittings industry and building technology.
One of Flühs' key requirements is suitability for drinking water applications. For this reason, we only use lead-reduced, low-lead, or lead-free materials that meet the highest hygiene standards. Our products are also certified according to the UBA (German Federal Environment Agency) 1+ system, which is the highest German standard of conformity for materials and substances that come into contact with drinking water. This system not only requires approval according to the strict criteria of the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA), but also regular in-house production controls and external monitoring tests (audits) by independent testing institutes. This ensures that our plumbing valves consistently meet the high requirements for hygienic safety and product quality.
Unlike many other suppliers, Flühs consistently uses ceramic instead of plastic in its sealing technology. Our Lifetime valves are based on state-of-the-art ceramic disc technology and feature a high wear resistance, temperature resistance, constant flow control, and a reliable sealing function for many years.
Over the course of 100 years, since our founding in 1926, we have repeatedly succeeded in creating innovative products. One example of this is the Lifetime Exacto, a special valve headwork that enables precise alignment of lever, cross, or square handles. The Exacto housing consists of a head piece and a lock nut. This design makes it possible to individually adjust the head piece within the fitting so that the handle position can be flexibly set to the desired angle, precisely, reliably, and without compromising functionality.
As a materials specialist, Flühs primarily processes high-quality brass, which we source exclusively from qualified semi-finished product manufacturers. Working closely with our materials partners, we act as a development partner for semi-finished product manufacturers and are actively involved in developing sustainable, lead-free alloys that not only meet hygiene requirements but also place a clear focus on cost-effective processing. Good machinability is just as crucial as long-term availability and environmental compatibility of the materials.
By participating in the development of new alloys, we ensure that our products already meet future regulatory, technical, and environmental requirements – especially in the sensitive area of drinking water installations, in accordance with the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184). In addition, we also take into account the development of the requirements of the European REACH Regulation (on the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemical substances) and the RoHS Directive, which restricts the use of substances harmful to health and the environment in electronic components.
In addition to our own product portfolio, we also offer customized assembly solutions. To this end, we work closely with our customers to jointly develop solutions based on their specific requirements and ideas. We have our own R&D department, which supports projects from the initial idea to series production and deals with the design, manufacture, and assembly of individual and innovative assemblies for valve and system technology.
In summary, Flühs' strengths as a manufacturer of plumbing valves are above all the highest quality and precision, technological leadership in the field of valve technology, a high level of customer focus through individual solutions, the guarantee of durability and reliable function of our products throughout their entire life cycle, and the highest level of hygienic safety through UBA 1+ certification.
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