A check valve allows flow in one direction and blocks it in the other, using a disc, flap, ball or plate that seats when flow reverses. There is no operator, no stem and nothing to adjust, which makes them cheap to buy and easy to forget.
Every pump discharge, every compressor line and every header that must not back up carries check valves. Because they fail quietly, plants replace them on schedule or during shutdowns and put the old ones in a box, where they stay.
We buy check valves in any quantity — single items, mixed pallets or whole cribs, including valves that need repair and assemblies that are missing parts. We do not require a clean inventory before reviewing a list.
| Common patterns | Swing check, horizontal and vertical, Dual plate and wafer check, Lift check and piston check, Tilting disc check |
|---|---|
| Typical service | Pump discharge, Compressor lines, Water and wastewater |
| What we look at | Pattern, size, class, body and trim material, and whether the internals are intact. For dual plate and wafer checks we ask about the plate springs, since a valve with broken springs is a rebuild. |
| What to keep | Keep the valve complete. A check valve with a missing disc or a bent hinge pin is close to scrap value, because the body is the only part left. Do not drop them: a distorted body will not seal at the flange. |
Patterns and variants
What turns up most often
Variants matter because they change the buyer pool. A standard pattern sells to a rebuilder or a plant with the same service; a specialised trim sells to a much smaller group but often at a higher price. If you are unsure which variant you have, the nameplate or the trim marking will usually say.
Before it leaves site
How to protect the value
Keep the valve complete. A check valve with a missing disc or a bent hinge pin is close to scrap value, because the body is the only part left. Do not drop them: a distorted body will not seal at the flange.
Where they come from
Industries and services
- Pump discharge
- Compressor lines
- Water and wastewater
Most of the surplus we see comes from plants that have replaced equipment for a reason that has nothing to do with the valve: a unit was re-rated, a line was re-piped, a control loop was upgraded or a project was re-scoped. The valve is simply the part that has to move.
Related patterns
Other valve types
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Read →Questions sellers ask
Do you buy check valves in quantity?
Yes, and quantity is often the point. A hundred used wafer checks in mixed sizes is a normal lot for us, and it is far easier to sell as one inventory than to dispose of individually.
Are cast iron check valves worth anything?
Yes, particularly in larger sizes for water service. Cast iron has a lower value per pound than steel, but a twelve-inch swing check is still a saleable item.
What condition do they need to be in?
Internals present and the body undistorted. Beyond that, we can work with worn seats and tired springs, because rebuilders buy them for exactly that reason.