A primary school in Uxbridge has retired its Aylesbury cold water storage tank valve after 24 years of service, so its successor can now take the strain. The original Aylesbury K-Type delayed-action mechanical float valve had been in constant daily use since the 1990s, meeting all the water needs of the school’s staff and 200+ children.
Spare parts were no longer readily available to fit a valve of that age, so manufacturers Keraflo recommended that the best solution was to upgrade the system by fitting the modern version of the Aylesbury K-Type valve.
The school’s water tank valve was originally installed when the London Borough of Hillingdon carried out a project to upgrade all water tanks across the Borough’s school premises in 1994. Many of those Hillingdon schools have long since been refurbished or replaced, but the valve at St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School has been “going strong” and working every day to ensure the water demands at the site are met.
The school’s Site Manager, Gerard McGuire, told Keraflo that he had experienced very little trouble with the valve at all. He said “It’s been going for 24 years, which is not bad. You can’t argue with that as it’s been working constantly over that time.”
A small leak caused by wear and tear could have led to possible flooding in the offices and school rooms sited adjacent to the water tank, so the decision was taken to install a brand new Aylesbury ‘K’ valve. A local plumber installed the new replacement valve quickly and easily. This was the quickest and easiest way to solve the problem and ensure the school’s daily life was not disrupted.
Neil Weston, Keraflo’s Technical Sales Manager, remembers the original London Borough of Hillingdon’s upgrade and refurbishment project. It was one of his first work assignments on joining Keraflo. “Whilst not unusual, it is still a pleasant surprise to visit a site and see a float valve of this age in such an excellent general condition,” says Neil. “The only component that had worn at St Andrew’s School has long been replaced by one of a different material that will not wear in the same way. We can be confident that our latest Aylesbury valve models will continue to deliver durability and longevity. In this day and age of a ‘disposable society’ it’s still good to see a British manufacturer building products to last the life-cycle of a building.”