What Is A Backflow Valve? Prevention.

Keeping Public Drinking Water Safe With The Aid Of Backflow Valves!

Do you reside in Tallahassee, Florida? Then you should stay informed of the results of various water safety tests performed throughout the year. Maintenance systems use specific processes that maintain a safe level of potable water supplies that are accessible to the public for out homes and businesses.

The first step to maintaining clean public systems is through the control of backflow in water lines. It pays to know if your property is contributing to contaminated water. Backflow tests are vital to clean water in the Tallahassee community.

What Is Backflow And What Are The Risks?

Backflow takes place when water that contains contaminants flows back into the main water line system from a specific property. Maintaining a high pressure prevents this from occurring. However, there are some instances where the property has a higher water pressure in comparison to the pipes network’s pressure. In such cases, backflow occurs.

Here are some reasons and characteristics when a backflow may occur:

The property water outlet is higher than that of the main supply
The customer uses high-pressure water than the one being supplied to their premises
Main breakage, leaking pipes or closure
Downstream heavy use reduces upstream water pressure.

Ways Of Protecting Back Flow Contamination Of Public Drinking Water

There are many ways of preventing contaminants from entering into the main lines from the properties of Tallahassee residents. There are mechanical devices that aim to prevent this back flow from taking place. This is through the installation of a backflow value or device at the property boundary in order to prevent this from taking place. Keep in mind, this is the responsibility of the building or property owner.

These are the three main ways of preventing backflow. They include:

Air gaps - This method is commonly used in the tanks of rural water supply schemes.
Reduced pressure zones (RPZ) - This is the most efficient method as evidenced by its high levels of protection. It needs annual testing and maintenance.
Double check valves - This device is set at the main supply of buildings. They need annual back flow testing and maintenance.

What Is Annual Backflow Testing?

It is advisable for both commercial and residential buildings to conduct annual backflow testing routines. Most plumbing companies offer this service, including ours. It aims to benefit the entire community and water supply. The process requires pipes to be shut off until the process completed by a licensed back flow technician. This might take about half an hour. Therefore, you might want to inform the people leaving and using the water supply of the building. If your backflow valve passes the test then the testers will authorize a test certificate. However, if the valve fails the test then the testers will notify the building owner to fix it within a stipulated time.

Final Thought On Backflow

Trying to understand your back flow is a science! A plumbing service tech must be licensed to be able to perform backflow preventer or double-check valves tests. Capital Plumbing Contractors has those techs and we can be your go-to plumber to fix any broken backflow valves or perform a diagnosis of your system. Customer service is our mission and it can be seen through our satisfied customers’ reviews. We guarantee we will save you the time, energy and money by calling up the locally owned #1 back flow valve tester in Tallahassee, FL.