Replacing flanged valves can be complicated and time-consuming, not to mention dangerous. Well, the Valve-Out Tool from Specialty  Maintenance Products is designed to eliminate those problems.

The bolt hole-specific valve spreader eliminates the need for come-alongs, trackhoes, wire rope, chains, hammers, and wedges when attempting to replace flanged valves and meters. When you turn the jack-bolt, the plates cantilever back, binding the bolt-hole pins in the bolt holes, pulling the outside flanges back, and spreading the flanges up to 1/2 inch. The tool requires no gap and is also ideal for changing gaskets.

“There is really nothing else comparable to the Valve-Out Tool on the market,” says Mark Goodman, company president. “It is designed to be simple to maintain and easy to use.”

The Valve-Out Tool safely pulls the outside flanges back, allowing the maintenance technician to easily remove and replace old valves and meters. It can be used flange to flange as a zero-gap flange spreader for gasket replacement, with the included spacer bars for flanged valve removal. It is ideal for replacing butterfly valves and meters as well.

“There are typically multiple types of valves in the water and wastewater industry where this tool is ideal,” Goodman says. “After time, these valves wear out and need to be replaced. This tool makes that possible.”

In addition, Specialty Maintenance Products’ Valve-Out Tool valve spreader allows for safe and easy removal of control valves, bypass valves, expansion joints, spools, rupture disks, regulators, orifice plates and meters. Kits include flange-spreading plates to service traditional flange sizes, plus interchangeable bolt-hole pins and spacer parts, including two 1 3/4-inch caps, two 1 3/4-inch cups, four 2-inch spacers, and two 4-inch spacers. Spacer parts total 11 1/2 inches per side of the flange. The tool comes in two hard-shelled carrying cases with custom foam inserts. Extra spacer bars are also available for valves or meters wider than 14 inches. According to Goodman, the tool solves a problem that has plagued sewer maintenance workers for decades.

“Once these guys see how this tool works and the time it can save them, they never want to go back,” he says. “When you take time and safety into account, it genuinely pays for itself after only a couple uses.” 713-667-4402; www.smptools.com.