Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door Career

Job Description: Install, repair, and maintain mechanical regulating and controlling devices, such as electric meters, gas regulators, thermostats, safety and flow valves, and other mechanical governors.


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Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door Career

What Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Doors do:

  • Record maintenance information, including test results, material usage, and repairs made.
  • Lubricate wearing surfaces of mechanical parts, using oils or other lubricants.
  • Disassemble and repair mechanical control devices or valves, such as regulators, thermostats, or hydrants, using power tools, hand tools, and cutting torches.
  • Disconnect or remove defective or unauthorized meters, using hand tools.
  • Examine valves or mechanical control device parts for defects, dents, or loose attachments, and mark malfunctioning areas of defective units.
  • Test valves and regulators for leaks and accurate temperature and pressure settings, using precision testing equipment.
  • Clean internal compartments and moving parts, using rags and cleaning compounds.
  • Report hazardous field situations and damaged or missing meters.
  • Shut off service and notify repair crews when major repairs are required, such as the replacement of underground pipes or wiring.
  • Record meter readings and installation data on meter cards, work orders, or field service orders, or enter data into hand-held computers.
  • Repair electric meters and components, such as transformers and relays, and replace metering devices, dial glasses, and faulty or incorrect wiring, using hand tools.
  • Turn valves to allow measured amounts of air or gas to pass through meters at specified flow rates.
  • Turn meters on or off to establish or close service.
  • Mount and install meters and other electric equipment such as time clocks, transformers, and circuit breakers, using electricians' hand tools.
  • Make adjustments to meter components, such as setscrews or timing mechanisms, so that they conform to specifications.
  • Measure tolerances of assembled and salvageable parts for conformance to standards or specifications, using gauges, micrometers, and calipers.
  • Install, inspect and test electric meters, relays, and power sources to detect causes of malfunctions and inaccuracies, using hand tools and testing equipment.
  • Calibrate instrumentation, such as meters, gauges, and regulators, for pressure, temperature, flow, and level.
  • Clean plant growth, scale, paint, soil, or rust from meter housings, using wire brushes, scrapers, buffers, sandblasters, or cleaning compounds.
  • Connect regulators to test stands, and turn screw adjustments until gauges indicate that inlet and outlet pressures meet specifications.
  • Vary air pressure flowing into regulators and turn handles to assess functioning of valves and pistons.
  • Dismantle meters, and replace or adjust defective parts such as cases, shafts, gears, disks, and recording mechanisms, using soldering irons and hand tools.
  • Investigate instances of illegal tapping into service lines.
  • Trace and tag meters or house lines.
  • Connect hoses from provers to meter inlets and outlets, and raise prover bells until prover gauges register zero.
  • Install regulators and related equipment such as gas meters, odorization units, and gas pressure telemetering equipment.
  • Cut seats to receive new orifices, tap inspection ports, and perform other repairs to salvage usable materials, using hand tools and machine tools.
  • Attach air hoses to meter inlets, plug outlets, and observe gauges for pressure losses to test internal seams for leaks.
  • Replace defective parts, such as bellows, range springs, and toggle switches, and reassemble units according to blueprints, using cam presses and hand tools.
  • Splice and connect cables from meters or current transformers to pull boxes or switchboards, using hand tools.
  • Repair leaks in valve seats or bellows of automotive heater thermostats, using soft solder, flux, and acetylene torches.
  • Advise customers on proper installation of valves or regulators and related equipment.
  • Recondition displacement type gas meters and governors, fabricating, machining, or modifying parts needed for repairs.
  • Collect money due on delinquent accounts.
  • Recommend and write up specifications for changes in hardware, such as house wiring.
  • Clamp regulator units into vises on stages above water tanks, and attach compressed air hoses to intake ports.
  • Reassemble repaired equipment, and solder top, front, and back case panels in place, using soldering guns, power tools, and hand tools.
  • Calibrate thermostats for specified temperature or pressure settings.
  • Attach pressurized meters to fixtures which submerge them in water, and observe meters for leaks.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment - Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Holland Code Chart for a Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door