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Industrial Valve Specification Checklist: What to Send for a Faster, More Accurate Quote

10 September 2026

You need a valve quote, but the enquiry comes back with more questions: which connection, what pressure, which seat material? A size and valve type are a starting point, not a complete duty. This industrial valve specification checklist helps you organise the details before the next round of emails.

This checklist helps technical buyers and project engineers organise the information before making an enquiry. You do not need every answer before contacting Valves4You, but separating confirmed requirements from open questions can reduce avoidable clarification and make the quotation easier to compare.

Quick answer

Start with the process medium, concentration or solids content; normal and maximum pressure; minimum and maximum temperature; nominal size and connection standard; required function; preferred materials; operation or actuation; environment; documentation; quantity and required date. Include existing valve details, photographs or drawings when relevant. The checklist supports an initial product shortlist: final suitability still has to be confirmed against the selected valve, its current technical data and the complete application conditions.

Is your enquiry ready for the next step?

Choose the situation closest to yours. You do not need to guess missing values to start a conversation.

I have a specification and need a quotation

Check the information table below, then send your valve enquiry. Include the quantity, required date and any drawings or documentation requirements. Mark preferred options separately from essential requirements.

I am replacing a valve or still have unanswered duty questions

Gather the existing make, model, nameplate details and dimensions where safely available. Do not dismantle or approach equipment unsafely to obtain them. Use the Difficult-Media Duty Check to explain the application, what is known and what needs investigation. It is an enquiry starting point, not an automatic product approval.

I am buying for an OEM, contractor or repeat requirement

Start with the duty details, then add your valve schedule, expected quantities and documentation needs. Jump to the project and repeat-supply brief to make the first conversation more useful.

Why complete duty information matters

A valve description such as “50 mm stainless ball valve” leaves important questions unanswered. The process may require a particular pressure class, flange drilling, seat material, fail position, control signal or approval. A replacement may also have a face-to-face dimension or mounting constraint that is not visible from its nominal size.

The aim is not to create paperwork for its own sake. A structured enquiry gives the supplier a clear basis for identifying gaps, comparing suitable product routes and stating what remains subject to confirmation. It also helps the buyer compare quotations on the same duty rather than on product names alone.

Ten things to include in an industrial valve enquiry

Information	What to send	What still needs checking
Medium	Full name, concentration, solids or contamination, and any cleaning medium	Compatibility of every wetted component with the complete duty
Pressure	Normal, maximum and design pressure; differential pressure; vacuum or surge conditions if relevant	Product pressure limits at the stated temperature and operating condition
Temperature	Minimum, normal and maximum process temperature; ambient extremes where relevant	Body, seat, seal, sleeve, lining and actuator limits
Size and connection	Nominal size, pipe schedule where relevant, flange or thread standard and pressure class	Bore, drilling, face-to-face length and mating compatibility
Function	Isolation, regulation, diversion, non-return, dosing or another defined duty	Whether the proposed valve design is intended for that function
Materials	Required or prohibited body and wetted materials	Exact body, trim, seat, seal, sleeve or lining construction
Operation	Manual, pneumatic or electric; operating frequency	Torque or thrust basis, utilities, speed and controls
Failure and control	Required fail position, control signal, voltage and air supply where applicable	Complete actuator and accessory sizing for the selected valve
Environment and approvals	Indoor, outdoor, washdown, corrosive atmosphere or hazardous-area requirements; required certification	Evidence applying to the exact offered configuration
Commercial details	Quantity, delivery destination and required date	Current availability, price and lead time at quotation

1. Describe the medium, not just the industry

State the process fluid, gas, slurry, powder or mixed phase as precisely as you can. Include concentration, solids, particle characteristics and contaminants where they matter. If cleaning or flushing media pass through the valve, list those too. A general label such as “chemical service” is not enough to confirm compatibility.

For difficult media, the Valves4You Difficult-Media Duty Check asks for the process description and exposes missing information before a quotation progresses.

Investigating material compatibility? The Chemical Tool is a useful starting point for gathering questions. Do not treat a screening result as confirmation that a complete valve assembly is suitable for your operating conditions.

2. Separate normal conditions from credible extremes

Give normal operating pressure and temperature as well as the maximum and minimum values the assembly may encounter. Note differential pressure, vacuum, surge or test conditions when they form part of the duty. This prevents a normal operating value from being mistaken for the design limit.

3. Define the mechanical connection

Provide the nominal size and the connection standard rather than relying on a photograph alone. For flanged valves, include the drilling or flange standard and pressure class. For threaded or welded connections, state the required form and pipe details. If a replacement must fit an existing space, add face-to-face dimensions and clear photographs or a drawing.

Need a reference while identifying a connection? Open the Valves4You flange tables (PDF), then confirm the required standard and dimensions against the actual installation and current project documentation. Do not infer interchangeability from nominal size alone.

4. State what the valve must do

Describe the required function: for example, isolation, regulation, diversion, non-return or dosing. Include expected cycling frequency and whether operation is local or remote. This keeps the enquiry focused on the actual duty instead of assuming that every product in a broad valve family performs the same job.

5. Give the complete actuation requirement

For an actuated valve, identify the preferred power source, available air pressure or electrical supply, required control signal, operating speed, indication and fail position. Actuator selection must be checked with the chosen valve and its duty; a mounting interface alone does not establish correct sizing.

Explore the actuator range for the available product routes, and include the complete valve duty when requesting sizing or configuration support.

6. List documentation and project constraints

State any testing, material traceability, certification, inspection or approval requirements at the enquiry stage. Also include quantity, delivery destination and required date. Valves4You confirms availability, price, lead time and product-specific documentation during quotation rather than treating them as universal catalogue facts.

Selection checklist

Before sending the enquiry, mark each item as confirmed, preferred, unknown or not applicable:

Medium, concentration and any solids, contamination or cleaning conditions.
Normal, minimum, maximum and design pressure, including differential pressure, vacuum or surge where relevant.
Normal, minimum and maximum process and ambient temperature.
Nominal size, pipe details and connection or flange standard.
Required valve function and expected cycling frequency.
Body, trim, seat, seal, sleeve or lining requirements, including prohibited materials.
Manual, pneumatic or electric operation and the available utility supply.
Fail position, control signal, feedback and accessory requirements.
Installation environment, access, orientation and space constraints.
Testing, certification, traceability and approval requirements.
Existing manufacturer, model, nameplate, dimensions and failure history for a replacement.
Quantity, delivery destination and required date.

This list does not replace a competent engineering assessment or the selected manufacturer’s current documentation.

Practical examples

These examples show how one added input can change the investigation; they are not product recommendations.

The medium is known, but the concentration is missing. A buyer may identify a chemical by name, yet concentration, temperature, contaminants and cleaning regime can affect the wetted-material review. The responsible next step is to obtain the missing duty details rather than make a blanket compatibility claim.

The pipe size is known, but the connection is not. Two valves with the same nominal size may not be mechanically interchangeable if the flange drilling, pressure class, thread, bore or face-to-face arrangement differs. A photograph, nameplate and measured dimensions can help identify the replacement route, but the connection still needs explicit confirmation.

“Pneumatic operation” is requested without a fail position. The supplier still needs the available air pressure, operating duty, required action on loss of air, control signal and indication requirements before the valve-and-actuator package can be defined.

Copy this brief into your next valve enquiry

Select and copy the text below into your email or enquiry. Replace each bracketed item with a confirmed value, a preference or “unknown”. Include units. This is a reusable starting point, not a completed engineering specification.

Project / application: [brief description]
Valve function: [isolation / regulation / other]
Medium, concentration, solids and cleaning media: [details]
Pressure, including normal / design / differential where relevant: [values and units]
Process and ambient temperature range: [values and units]
Size, connection standard, pressure class and space constraints: [details]
Required or prohibited wetted materials: [details / unknown]
Operation, utilities, fail position and control requirements: [details]
Environment, testing, certification and documentation: [requirements]
Replacement details / available drawings: [make, model, dimensions]
Quantity, delivery destination and required date: [details]
Items still to be confirmed: [list]
Enquiry reference: Valve Specification Checklist

Send your valve enquiry or start an email to Valves4You. Add attachments in your email where needed; no information is submitted from this article.

What to send for an accurate response

Send the checklist with any existing valve details, safe photographs, nameplate information or drawings. Clearly label assumptions and unknown values. If the application involves abrasive solids, sticky material, uncertain compatibility, repeated wear or incomplete identification, use the Difficult-Media Duty Check. You can also browse the current industrial valve catalogue to identify the closest product family.

Buying for an OEM, contractor or repeat supply requirement?

A one-off replacement and a repeat production requirement need different commercial conversations, even when the valve duty is similar. If you are exploring a supply relationship, tell us how the valves fit into your equipment, projects or maintenance programme.

OEMs and equipment builders: include your valve schedule, design revision, expected build quantities and documentation needed with each assembly.
Contractors and project buyers: identify the project stage, specification owner, approval process and required delivery sequence.
Maintenance teams and purchasing partners: describe repeat items, existing part references, replacement constraints and the gaps you want to resolve.

Find out about Valves4You, then start a project or supply-partnership conversation. Please label the enquiry “OEM / project / repeat supply” and share a non-confidential outline first. Supply arrangements, stockholding, pricing and delivery commitments would need separate discussion and agreement.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a complete valve specification before asking for help?

No. Send the information you have and mark the gaps. Valves4You can identify the remaining questions, but final suitability cannot be confirmed until the material duty and product requirements are sufficiently defined. Start with the copyable enquiry brief.

Is valve size enough for a replacement quotation?

Usually not. Include the connection, pressure class, face-to-face constraints, materials and function. Existing manufacturer, model, nameplate details, dimensions and clear photographs can also help.

What pressure and temperature values should I provide?

Provide normal operating values and credible minimum and maximum values. Add design, differential, vacuum, surge or test conditions where they apply, so the quotation is not based only on the easiest operating point.

What should I include for an actuated valve?

State the valve duty, power source, available air pressure or electrical supply, control signal, cycle frequency, required speed, fail position, feedback and environmental requirements.

Can a supplier confirm compatibility from the medium name alone?

Usually not. Concentration, temperature, pressure, contaminants, cleaning conditions and the complete wetted-material set can all affect the assessment.

Useful references for your specification folder

Valves4You flange tables (PDF) — a connection-reference starting point, subject to confirmation against your project requirements.
HSE pressure systems guidance (external website) — official background on pressure equipment and related guidance. Check which requirements apply to your system with the responsible competent person; this article is not a compliance assessment.

Share this checklist with the colleague specifying the duty and the person requesting the quote, so both are working from the same set of requirements.

Talk to Valves4You about your application

Request a quote and send the medium, pressure, temperature, size, connection, materials, operation or actuation requirement, certification needs, quantity and required date. Valves4You will review the duty, identify critical gaps and confirm the next product route without promising suitability, availability, price or lead time before the application is checked.