Do I need a backflow preventer installed?

Our home plumbing has to be carefully taken care of by us since it is essential to our survival. There are lots of valves, pumps, faucets, and other components to a plumbing system. However, a backflow preventer is necessary for any plumbing system. This is because it helps in preventing the contamination of the entire drinking water supply. We need drinking water and we need clean water to survive. Not only is drinking water an essential right for humans, but it is also absolutely central to our survival. 

However, contamination may occur due to a variety of reasons. That is why so many local and regional authorities mandate that a backflow preventer be installed in residential and commercial water connections so that they are safeguarded in the best possible way. Also, a backflow prevention device is critical for a lot of other reasons as well. However, preventing backflow, as the name suggests, is its main objective. 

Backflow is generally defined as the unwanted reverse flow of contaminated water into the potable drinking water supply. The two primary reasons as to why and how backflow occurs can be put down to back-siphonage and back-pressure. Back-siphonage is when there is low pressure inside the pipes of the plumbing system, which leads to contaminated water being sucked into the potable drinking water supply. 

This is a very serious potential hazard that needs to be prevented. The other form, back-pressure, occurs when there are increasing amounts of high pressure inside the downstream contaminated water supply and that high pressure pushes the contaminated water into the potable drinking water supply. In that case, as well, harmful particles and elements find their way into the clean water supply. One of the most sought-after and effective devices to prevent backflow from occurring is an RPZ valve since it is very simple, reliable, and extremely efficient too. 

Although one can try their hand in installing such a valve themselves, it is better to call for a certified backflow prevention agency that specializes in such cases. This is to ensure that the device is properly installed and the plumbing system is protected in a much more thorough manner. There are several possible backflow agencies to choose from. You can even search for a “certified backflow tester near me” to get a list of all the agencies nearby that perform backflow testing. A backflow prevention device is pretty essential since it ensures that the water only flows in one direction, the direction that it is meant to. 

Since backflow is essentially the opposite flow of dirty water, the installation of such a device helps to safeguard the entire water supply. Cross-connections within the plumbing system are the most vulnerable to a backflow. So, those points in the plumbing need to be looked after particularly well to eliminate any concerns of backflow from occurring. Also, due to its importance of it, most new homes come with an inbuilt backflow prevention system. However, the older homes and apartments may not have one, and the best thing for them to do is to schedule a backflow testing and ensure its prevention.