Valve Pressure Testing is a critical quality control process that evaluates whether a valve can withstand operational pressures without leaking or failing. By simulating real-world conditions, we can identify potential weaknesses and confirm that your valve is ready for safe, long-term use.
VALVE PRESSURE
TESTING
Ensuring Performance with Professional Valve Pressure Testing
Pressure testing is an essential part of our valve refurbishment process, designed to confirm the valve’s ability to handle its designated pressure conditions without failure. Through a series of controlled, high-pressure simulations, we replicate real-world operating environments to verify structural integrity, seal tightness, and overall performance.
This rigorous testing phase helps us detect any flaws — such as micro-leaks, material fatigue, or internal wear — that could lead to failures in service. Each valve is tested in accordance with industry-recognised standards, giving you full confidence that it is fit for purpose, compliant, and reliable for long-term operation in demanding applications.
Why Valve Pressure Testing Matters
Valve pressure testing plays a vital role in maintaining system integrity, performance, and safety. By verifying that a valve can withstand its specified pressure levels, testing helps prevent unexpected failures that could otherwise lead to costly downtime, product loss, or even hazardous system breakdowns. Identifying weaknesses before a valve is returned to service allows you to address potential issues proactively — rather than reactively.
This process also ensures that each valve is fully compliant with industry regulations and safety standards, whether you're operating in oil and gas, steam, food processing, or pharmaceutical environments. Certification following successful pressure testing provides the documentation needed for audits, inspections, and peace of mind.
Regular pressure testing contributes to longer valve life, as early detection of wear, seal degradation, or structural fatigue allows for targeted repairs before further deterioration occurs. Most importantly, pressure testing helps reduce operational risk, guaranteeing that your valves will perform reliably under load and within their design specifications.
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing
Hydrostatic testing is one of the most reliable methods used to verify the strength and sealing capability of industrial valves. At Valve Repair, we carry out hydrostatic pressure testing by filling the valve with water (or another compatible liquid) and increasing the internal pressure to a level above its standard operating pressure. This simulates worst-case conditions, helping us detect leaks, cracks, and weaknesses in the valve body, bonnet, and sealing components.
This method is ideal for evaluating:
Valve body integrity
Seat tightness
Welded or bolted connections
Overall durability and pressure containment
Hydrostatic testing is commonly applied to ball valves, gate valves, globe valves, and check valves, and is essential in sectors such as oil and gas, steam systems, water treatment, and chemical processing. Each test is performed under controlled conditions to meet industry standards such as API, ASME, or EN, ensuring your valve is ready for real-world use.
Pneumatic Pressure Testing
Pneumatic pressure testing involves applying compressed air, nitrogen, or an inert gas to the valve to detect even the smallest leaks — often ones that liquid testing can miss. This method is especially useful for high-precision applications where gas-tight sealing is non-negotiable, such as in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, or clean gas systems.
Because gases are less viscous than liquids, pneumatic testing can:
Detect micro-leaks around seals and packing
Confirm valve air-tight performance
Validate components used in low-pressure gas systems
Our pneumatic testing procedures are carried out with strict safety protocols, using calibrated instruments to measure pressure decay or bubble emission. This test is typically applied to control valves, actuated valves, and safety relief valves, and ensures compliance with demanding regulations.
Functional & Seat Leak Testing
Seat leak testing is critical to verifying a valve’s ability to completely shut off flow under pressure. At Valve Repair, we perform functional and seat leak testing to evaluate the contact between valve seating surfaces and closure elements (such as a ball, disc, or plug). This confirms whether a valve can hold pressure when closed and prevents downstream leakage.
Our testing process measures:
Pressure loss across the valve seat
Closure effectiveness and seal condition
Performance under both ambient and elevated pressures
Seat leak testing is especially important for control valves, globe valves, and safety valves where tight shutoff is critical to system operation and safety. If any leakage is identified, we offer expert diagnosis and repair, such as seal replacement, seat lapping, or actuator recalibration to restore proper valve function.
Certification & Reporting
Every valve tested at Valve Repair is delivered with comprehensive documentation, giving you full traceability and peace of mind. Our certification and reporting process includes detailed pressure testing results, valve specifications, and any findings during inspection. This ensures compliance with industry standards and internal quality control requirements.
Each report includes:
Test type and method used
Pressure levels applied and duration
Pass/fail status for each test phase
Visual inspection notes and recommendations
We also provide maintenance recommendations based on valve condition and test outcomes, helping you plan future servicing and reduce the risk of failure. Whether you're meeting API 598, EN 12266, ASME B16.34, or customer-specific standards, our certified reports help satisfy auditors, insurers, and regulatory bodies.
