Free checklist
Pressure-reducing valve station quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly PRV station round is short on purpose: it catches the wear items that fail between annual services. This checklist is sized for a tech with a phone. Every item says what to look at and the photo that proves the round happened. Work is commonly verified against IPC / UPC plumbing codes, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Pressure and setpoint
Downstream pressure read against the setpoint
Reduced-side pressure read at a gauge and compared to the intended setpoint, checked both under flow and at no-flow to catch a valve that's creeping.
Gauges reading live and undamaged
Upstream and downstream gauges move when flow changes, needles not pinned or stuck, glass and case intact.
Inlet pressure read at the upstream gauge
Supply-side pressure read alongside the downstream reading, so a drop in street or supply pressure is not mistaken for a fault in the PRV.
Pressure at the lowest outlet in the zone spot-checked
Test gauge on a hose bib or test port at the lowest outlet the station serves, where static pressure is highest, read against the design limit for that zone.
Strainer and valve body
Upstream strainer blown down or checked
Blow-down operated or screen pulled, debris cleared, no sign the strainer is loading down the flow to the PRV.
No leaks or seat-passing signs at the valve
Body and unions dry, no weeping at the bonnet, downstream pressure not climbing at no draw which would flag a worn seat.
Pilot tubing or bonnet vent checked dry
Pilot-operated: pilot, needle valve and sensing tubing dry and unkinked. Direct-acting: spring bonnet vent not weeping, which would point to a torn diaphragm.
Inlet, outlet and bypass valves found in normal position
Inlet and outlet isolation valves fully open with handles on, and the bypass shut where the station has one, so no water is feeding around the PRV.
Valve listened to for chatter or hammer as draw changes
No chatter, humming or banging at the station as fixtures open and close, which would point to a hunting valve, a sticking stem or an oversized valve at low flow.
No photo
Relief, tags and records
Reduced-side relief and its discharge dry at no draw
Where the station has a relief valve, its outlet and discharge point dry at no draw. A dribble means downstream pressure is reaching the relief setting or the relief is weeping.
No photoStation and valve tags legible
Station tag names the zone served, and the valve's make, model and size plate is readable so the right parts can be ordered for the annual rebuild.
Quarterly readings recorded beside last quarter's
Inlet, flowing and no-flow downstream pressures written into the station log, so a drifting setpoint or a passing seat shows up as a trend.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Downstream pressure read off a stuck gauge that hasn't moved in months, so nobody notices the valve is drifting past its setpoint.
- Strainer never blown down or pulled, so debris behind the PRV throttles flow and gets blamed on the valve.
- Seat wear ignored until the downstream pressure creeps up overnight with no draw, a classic sign the valve is passing.
Verified against
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this pressure-reducing valve station quarterly checklist cover?
- 12 items across 3 sections, covering pressure and setpoint, strainer and valve body, relief, tags and records. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The plumbing or facilities tech on the quarterly round at the PRV station.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Every quarter, and any time upper-floor fixtures start complaining of low pressure or banging, which points back to the station.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 9 of the 12 items call for photo evidence, 11 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a pressure-reducing valve station quarterly inspection?
- Downstream pressure read off a stuck gauge that hasn't moved in months, so nobody notices the valve is drifting past its setpoint. Strainer never blown down or pulled, so debris behind the PRV throttles flow and gets blamed on the valve. Seat wear ignored until the downstream pressure creeps up overnight with no draw, a classic sign the valve is passing.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 11 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.