Backflow
Backflow Services
Backflow services for residential homes are important for keeping your drinking water clean and safe by preventing contaminated water from flowing back into your home’s water supply. This can happen when there’s a sudden drop in water pressure, causing dirty water from things like garden hoses, sprinkler systems, or nearby sources to reverse flow.
A backflow prevention device stops this from happening, and regular testing ensures it continues to work properly. Many local codes require homeowners to have these devices inspected and tested annually by a certified professional. Having reliable backflow protection helps safeguard your family’s health and ensures your home’s plumbing stays up to code.
Contact us today to schedule your backflow testing or repair service!
Backflow Repairs & Maintenance
Backflow assemblies periodically fail the test and need to be repaired. Sometimes we just need to pull it apart, clean it and remove any debris that has accumulated inside the assembly. Other times parts are worn and need to be replaced.
Backflow prevention assemblies are designed to provide decades of protection. There are many regional conditions that can shorten the working life of a backflow preventer. Conditions such as excessive pressure, water quality, temperature or turbidity can all cause the assembly to deteriorate in its performance. Some backflow prevention assemblies may rarely need repair while some are repaired on a regular basis. The test data from the field test will determine the repair frequency. If the repair frequency becomes excessive it is important to determine the factors that are causing the unusual repair frequency. If the cause is due to excessive turbidity (dirt and debris), then a strainer may provide a longer duration between repairs.
If the backflow prevention assembly is failing due to water quality conditions such as chloramines or temperature, replacing the existing assembly with an assembly with different rubber and material composition may solve the problem. If excessive pressure is damaging the software parts, then a pressure regulator may be needed. Evaluating not only the field test data but also the cause of the failure is important to ensure a proper repair frequency.
Backflow preventers can fail for a variety of reasons, including:
– Broken check valves
– Leaking from the relief valve
– Debris
– Worn springs
– Cracked or shifted rubber parts
– Excessive pressure, water quality, temperature, or turbidity
Backflow preventers can fail over time due to wear and tear. The most common sign of a failed backflow device is frequent water leaks.
Other signs include:
1) Drains draining slowly
2) Water leaking around the property, even after changing the pipes
Backflow preventers can fail in areas that don’t have access to treated municipal water supplies. When a backflow preventer fails, the public water supply can become contaminated with bacteria and/or viruses.
The life expectancy of a backflow preventer is 5 to 10 years. DCV assembly backflow preventers should be tested at least once every year. RPZ assembly models should be tested annually and rebuilt every five years.
Backflow Replacement
When a backflow device needs to be replaced, a technician will first assess the existing unit and gather the necessary specifications to find the correct replacement. Once the new backflow preventer is available, the technician will remove the old device and install the new one. This process often involves modifying the copper piping, such as extending the opening or replacing sections of pipe that connect to the backflow. During the installation, the technician will also ensure the new device is up to code, including proper height above the ground and the required distance from any nearby walls.
Commonly Asked Questions
A backflow assembly is an approved, testable assembly which uses valves, in different configurations, to prevent polluted or contaminated water from reversing direction and flowing backward into a customer’s potable water plumbing or in the municipal water distribution system.
Any water customer with a cross-connection is required to install appropriate backflow protection. Federal and State laws require that water suppliers protect their water systems from contamination by requiring the installation and testing of appropriate backflow assemblies. Commercial and industrial customers and homes with dedicated landscape meters are required by City Ordinance and State Administrative Code rule R18-4-215 to install, test, and maintain backflow prevention assemblies. In addition, the City of Mesa has adopted the 2006 International Plumbing Code. This code specifies backflow requirements for water customers including all single family residences.
If you maintain a cross-connection on your property, you must protect your family and neighbors, as well as other water customers, from a backflow event by isolating the cross-connection as required by code with a properly installed backflow assembly.
The installation of the backflow prevention assembly is the responsibility of the customer. The assembly may be installed by a property owner, plumbing contractor, or a general contractor.
Generally, the backflow prevention assembly must be located as close as possible to the water service connection, but must remain on private property. Individual cross-connections must be isolated with a properly installed backflow assembly at the connection point to the potable water supply.
It is the sole responsibility of the customer to ensure that the assembly is in satisfactory operating condition at all times. The City of Mesa Water Resources Department will send notices to regulated customers advising them when an annual test is required on their backflow assembly. The customer must contact a recognized Backflow Assembly Tester to perform the test.
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