Watts Valves FAQ: Adjusting PRVs, Water Hammer Arrestors, T113 Gate Valves, and Globe Valves

I handle valve and plumbing parts orders for a mid-size MRO distributor. I have been doing it since 2016, and I have made enough mistakes to fill a small binder—somewhere around $12,000 in returns, emergency freight, and rework. This FAQ is the list I wish someone had handed me. It answers the valve questions I get most, including the ones that sound simple until you are standing in a mechanical room with a flashlight in your teeth.

Here is what I cover:

• How to adjust a Watts pressure reducing valve without overdoing it
• Where a Watts water hammer arrestor belongs
• Whether a T113 gate valve can throttle flow
• What a globe valve actually looks like
• Hidden costs to ask about before you order
• Why welders welders searches end up on valve pages
• One mistake that still stings

How do I adjust a Watts pressure reducing valve?

If you searched how to adjust watts pressure reducing valve, start here. Look, the adjustment itself is not hard. The hard part is not turning the screw like you are trying to open a stuck jar. On most Watts PRV models, you start with a downstream gauge installed. Close the downstream isolation valve, open a nearby faucet to relieve pressure, then loosen the locknut. Turn the adjustment screw clockwise to raise outlet pressure, counterclockwise to lower it. Go a quarter turn at a time, reopen the faucet, and read the gauge. Retighten the locknut when you are done.

Here is the thing: do not exceed the spring range printed on the valve or in the manual. If the valve will not hold the setpoint, the issue may be debris, a worn seat, or the wrong spring—not a reason to crank harder. Per ASSE 1003-2019, pressure reducing valves are tested for pressure control, but that does not mean every valve fits every system. Verify your model's current spec sheet at Watts before you trust a forum number.

Where should a Watts water hammer arrestor go?

Put it close to the fixture or valve that is causing the hammer, not just anywhere on the main. The arrestor needs to be on the same branch line, as close as practical to the quick-closing valve, and installed in the correct orientation for the model. If you are dealing with a solenoid valve or a fast-closing laundry valve, the arrestor should be downstream of that valve's action—or upstream, depending on the piping layout and the manufacturer's instructions. This is where I stop guessing.

I once assumed one arrestor would fix a whole house knock. I knew I should have checked the pipe run and water pressure first, but I thought, what are the odds? The odds caught up with me: the knock moved to another bathroom. The fix was two correctly sized arrestors and a pressure check. Per ASSE 1010-2019, water hammer arrestors are tested to performance criteria, but sizing and placement still depend on the system. If the knock continues, call someone who can measure static and residual pressure.

Can a Watts T113 gate valve be used for throttling?

No. A T113 gate valve is an isolation valve. It is designed to be fully open or fully closed, not to regulate flow. If you use it to throttle, the gate can chatter against the seat, wear prematurely, and create noise. I learned that one the expensive way in 2019. I had a T113 gate valve and a globe valve on the same order. I knew I should have checked the application, but I thought the customer just wanted to slow the flow. The gate valve lasted about three months before it started leaking past the stem. The return, the labor, and the emergency replacement came to about $680.

Use a globe valve, a ball valve designed for throttling, or a proper balancing valve when you need control. For isolation, a T113 gate valve is fine in many bronze gate valve applications. Just do not ask it to do a globe valve's job. Verify current model details and pressure ratings on the Watts spec sheet, because model numbers and trim options change.

What does a globe valve look like?

If you typed what dose a globe valve look like, you are not alone. The body is usually rounded or bulbous, often with a cast arrow showing flow direction. The stem comes out the top and connects to a handwheel or lever. Inside, there is a baffle that forces the flow to change direction and pass through a horizontal or angled seat. That Z-shaped or S-shaped path is the giveaway. A gate valve is more straight-through and typically has a flatter, wedge-shaped gate inside. A ball valve has a lever that turns a quarter turn.

Visually, a globe valve looks like it has a lump on the side or a rounded chamber where the flow turns. That shape exists for a reason: it gives you better throttling control and a tighter shutoff in some designs, but it also creates more pressure drop. So if you are comparing a globe valve to a gate valve, do not just look at the outside. Check the flow path and the intended service. If the valve looks like a straight pipe with a bonnet on top, it is probably a gate valve.

What hidden costs should I ask about before ordering Watts valves?

Ask what is not included before you ask for the price. I have learned that the hard way. On a valve order, the quote may exclude freight, crating, stem extensions, repair kits, certification documents, and rush fees. A low initial number can grow fast. In September 2022, I approved a purchase order for what looked like a straightforward PRV order. The quote did not include the flange gaskets, the required certification package, or the two-day freight upgrade the customer needed. The add-ons came to $740, and the delay almost cost us the account.

Here is the thing: the vendor who lists freight, lead time, exclusions, and documentation fees upfront usually costs less in the end, even if the first number looks higher. I now ask three questions: What is the lead time in business days? What is excluded from this price? What documentation is included? That habit has saved us a ton of time. It is not about finding the lowest upfront number. It is about knowing the real total before you commit.

Why do welders welders searches land on valve pages?

Honestly, I am not sure why the search term welders welders became such a persistent mismatch. My best guess is that it is a typo, a voice-search artifact, or someone looking for welding equipment who ended up in a plumbing catalog. Watts makes valves, not welding machines. If you are searching welders welders, you probably need a welding supply house, not a pressure reducing valve.

That said, valve and welding work overlap in industrial settings. Welders install pipe spools, and those spools need isolation valves, check valves, and sometimes relief valves. So if you are a welder looking for a T113 gate valve or a globe valve for a pipe rack, you are in the right general area. Just do not order a valve as if it were a welding rod. Check the end connections, pressure class, and material before you buy. A welder who understands flow control is a useful person to know—just not through a search typo.

What is one valve mistake that still costs you sleep?

In Q1 2024, I approved a repair kit for a Watts pressure reducing valve without confirming the exact model revision. The customer had sent a photo, and I thought it was close enough. I knew I should have asked for the model number stamped on the valve body, but I thought, what are the odds the revision matters? The odds caught up with me. The kit did not fit the seat cage. We ate the return shipping, paid for a second kit, and missed a scheduled maintenance window. That error cost $890 in redo plus a one-week delay.

The risk weighing was ugly. The upside of skipping the verification was saving maybe twenty minutes. The downside was a maintenance delay, a frustrated property manager, and a tech standing around. I kept asking myself: is twenty minutes worth potentially losing a service contract? No. Now I maintain a pre-check list. It has caught 47 potential errors in the past 18 months, including wrong stems, wrong springs, and one very expensive check valve that was actually a relief valve. If you take one thing from this: write down the model number before you order the part.