Backflow Testing & Preventer Installs
Big Enough To Get The Job Done, Small Enough To Care
Does Your Plumbing System Need a Backflow Preventer?
Think of a backflow preventer like a locking turn style for your plumbing. Water can only go one way, and it can’t come back. If you don’t have a backflow preventer, low water pressure due to a burst water main or frozen pipe can cause non-potable water (like sewage or hose water) to be pulled into your plumbing system. From there it can introduce outside pathogens into your drinking water, and you may not realize it until you get sick.
Ensuring your current backflow prevention system is operating correctly, or having a backflow preventer installed is your first line of defense against harmful backflow from the sewer. We provide both so you are protected no matter what.
Backflow prevention is a smart investment for home and business owners. We strategically install backflow preventers to protect your water supply. One of our specialists will be happy to answer any questions while on site.
How Does Backflow Occur?
Anywhere a potable water source line and a non-potable water source line connect is called a cross-connection. Back pressure occurs when a non-potable water source has a higher pressure than the potable source it is connected to. That can cause non-potable water to force its way into a potable water line.
Low pressure in the water system creates back-siphonage. Instead of being forced into your system by higher pressure, your home plumbing system actually pulls in non-potable water from the lower pressure public water system. This pressure drop can occur from something as simple as a fire fighter using a hose connected to a fire hydrant.
Backflow Testing & Preventer Installs for Water Pressure
Why Prevent Backflow?
Non-potable water isn’t considered safe for human consumption- it can contain heavy metals, bacteria, chemicals, and other contaminants. If that non-potable water enters your drinking water system, you may consume, wash with, or otherwise come into contact with substances that are harmful to your health and the health of others.
Where Can a Testable Backflow Preventer Be Installed?
Also called backflow prevention assemblies, these devices protect potable drinking water sources from backflow. They can be installed in two places:
At the service entrance: We can install a backflow assembly where a mainline enters a building or a primary flow point like a commercial boiler. This is common for large office buildings, apartments, irrigation equipment, laboratories, and wherever there is a commercial fire sprinkler system.
At an individual outlet: An individual outlet occurs after the main service entrance in your plumbing system. A system that is fed by a main line at the service entrance will have multiple outlets. Backflow preventers can be installed on individual outlets and cross connection points like those of a sprinkler system or boiler supply line.
What kind of backflow prevention devices do we install?
- Air gap backflow devices
- Double check valves
- Reduced pressure principle devices
- Pressure vacuum breaker assembly
Proactive Protection Begins With Backflow Prevention
Clean, safe water flowing into your home is something most of us take for granted, but without the right protection in place, that water supply can become compromised in ways you might never expect. This is where backflow prevention comes in.
Water in your home's plumbing system is designed to flow in one direction, from the municipal supply into your home. However, when water pressure drops suddenly, due to a main break, heavy demand, or firefighting activity in your neighbourhood, water can actually reverse direction. This reversal, known as backflow, can pull contaminated water from irrigation systems, garden hoses, or other sources back into your clean drinking supply.
A backflow preventer is a simple but highly effective device installed on your water lines that acts as a one-way gate, stopping reversed water flow dead in its tracks. Many municipalities actually require them by law, particularly on irrigation systems and commercial properties.
The good news is that protecting your home is straightforward. Having a licensed plumber inspect your system and install a certified backflow prevention device is a smart, affordable step that safeguards your family's health. Devices should be tested annually to ensure they are working correctly, as worn valves or damaged seals can reduce their effectiveness over time.
Think of backflow prevention the same way you think of a smoke detector, you hope you never need it, but you will be very glad it is there when you do. Proactive protection is always better than dealing with the consequences of contaminated water after the fact.
Backflow mishaps are preventable. Contact us today.
Why wait until backflow related damage has already occurred? Our backflow testing and installation provides peace of mind and protects you from damage to your property and person. Call us today to schedule your backflow test or preventer installation.
