Water Backflow Prevention
Water backflow is when water reverses its flow against the intended direction. If the public water system your home loses water pressure, backflow can happen. Your fresh water supply could be contaminated by the backflow if the supply water is reversed. If you drink unhealthy water from any source that could be cross-connected, it could be bad for your family. You want to prevent water backflow from occurring, as much as possible. In order to do so, it’s important to understand as much as you can about taking the proper preventive measures.
Types Of Backflow: Backpressure Backflow
Backpressure backflow takes place when the downstream pressure from non-potable water sources is higher than public water source pressure. If the downstream pressure increases or the potable water source pressure decreases, this can occur. These issues often arise if there is a main water break, or if there’s a nearby fire, because the firefighters will require water pressure to hose down the flames.
Types Of Backflow: Back Siphonage
This is caused when a vacuum is created with negative pressure in the water line. The water source that could be contaminated is then drawn into the public water system. Think about it this way: when you use a straw to drink water, and you stop sucking through the straw, the water within the straw goes back into the cup – even if it’s contaminated. This can also be caused be firefighting efforts, construction accidents, and water main breaks.
Backflow Prevention Measures
Preventing backflow doesn’t have to be difficult. You will want to know a few things about your home and the way it operates. You should, for example, identify and examine cross connections within your home. If you don’t know how to do that, plumbers can look things over and offer an inspection for you. They can then determine areas of risk and address anything that might need to be fixed. You can reinforce those areas so backflow is less likely to occur. Even small changes to your plumbing can help. You could also get backflow preventers to keep it from happening. If that’s the measure you want to take, look into the different types and how they can meet your needs. You might want additional prevention in bathrooms or in the kitchen as well.
Don’t Forget About The Exterior Fixtures
As you look into backflow preventative measures, you might skip over the garden hose, but this can become a major issue if you attach a weed killer spray to the hose for the yard. Leaving things like that attached can cause an awful backflow contamination into your home. Have the exterior of your home inspected at the same time the rest of the house. You will also want to be prepared to shut the water supplies to your home off if there’s something major happening around you, like a water main break down the street or a fire around the corner.
Get Water Backflow Advice
If you’re concerned about what water backflow could do to your water supply, contact the experts at Stephens Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning for an inspection to bolster up your connections to prevent that from ever being a problem in your home.