Norfolk Plumbing is here to assist you with all your plumbing needs and that means keeping you informed about any devices you may be using in your home. One of these devices which your home may have is a backflow preventer. In this blog, we’re going to educate you on what a backflow preventer is and what it does for your home. We’ll also take a look at what a backflow prevention inspection looks like!
What is a backflow preventer?
A backflow preventer is a device that’s installed on your home’s water pipes and it allows water to flow only into your home. It will stop water from flowing back out of your pipes. This may not sound like a huge deal, but it’s important for one main reason. That reason is DRINKING WATER. Backflow preventers’ main jobs are to keep your drinking water from being contaminated from backflow. What exactly is backflow? Backflow happens when water flows out of your home and back into the main water supply. This can lead to contamination from things like human waste, fertilizer, chlorine, and soap. Nobody wants this to happen, so installing a backflow preventer can help keep this from happening. Check out this graphic to better understand how a backflow preventer works.
What are the requirements?
In the Virginia Beach, area backflow preventers are not required except for residential homes that have irrigation systems, boilers, geothermal heating systems, sprinklers, or medical equipment connected to the city’s main water system. While it’s not required it can be useful in protecting your home and the main water system. Backflow preventers are also important and installed in commercial buildings as well. For more details regarding commercial use please call (757) 466-0644.
What is a backflow prevention inspection?
Inspections should be performed annually. They can be done when the rest of your plumbing is being inspected in residential situations. Here’s what you can expect during an inspection.
- Double-check the valves
- Check the principle pressure device
- Will turn off the system and hook up test equipment
- Will determine if anything is off or if there are areas of uneven pressure
We hope that this information has been useful to you. Maybe you have a backflow prevention device or maybe this is the first time you’ve heard of it. Either way, we hope that this was educational to you. Should you have more questions please call our plumbing experts at (757) 466-0644. We’re happy to help perform these inspections as well! Norfolk Plumbing is here for all of your plumbing needs.