Check valves shall be internally inspected every how many years?

Check valves shall be internally inspected every how many years?

• A. Three years
• B. Seven years
• C. Ten years
• D. Five years

Answer: (D)

Check valves can look fine on the outside, but their internal parts—the seating surface, disc, stems, and any springs or seals—can wear, corrode, or stick over time. If these parts don’t move freely or seal properly, backflow can occur when it shouldn’t, leading to spills or contamination in bulk oil storage. That’s why regular internal inspections are essential: they verify that the valve closes completely, seats securely, and will perform as needed in a fault or shutdown. Five years is the typical interval that balances catching wear and corrosion before a failure happens with not overburdening maintenance schedules. It’s short enough to detect developing issues in common oil-service conditions, yet long enough to be practical for routine maintenance. In harsher or more dirty service, more frequent checks might be warranted; in very clean, low-risk service, the interval could be extended with proper engineering approval.

Check valves can look fine on the outside, but their internal parts—the seating surface, disc, stems, and any springs or seals—can wear, corrode, or stick over time. If these parts don’t move freely or seal properly, backflow can occur when it shouldn’t, leading to spills or contamination in bulk oil storage. That’s why regular internal inspections are essential: they verify that the valve closes completely, seats securely, and will perform as needed in a fault or shutdown.

Five years is the typical interval that balances catching wear and corrosion before a failure happens with not overburdening maintenance schedules. It’s short enough to detect developing issues in common oil-service conditions, yet long enough to be practical for routine maintenance. In harsher or more dirty service, more frequent checks might be warranted; in very clean, low-risk service, the interval could be extended with proper engineering approval.