While everyone wants to choose the best-looking, optimally functioning plumbing gadgets and appliances, when it comes to sinks, faucets, and toilets, the hidden plumbing supplies are often the most important. What’s behind the scenes can make the difference in supplying clean, fresh water for you and your family or suffering with the ramifications of consuming dirty, contaminated water.
You may be wondering: “Which plumbing device prevents backflow?” Backflow is what happens when water in pipes goes in the opposite direction than intended. Pressure plays an integral role in backflow. When back pressure is either too high from the wastewater side or too low on the supply side, water can easily become polluted.
To keep water systems safe in Peabody, MA, all home, business, commercial, and industrial properties should have properly functioning plumbing devices to prevent backflow.
WHAT IS A BACKFLOW PLUMBING DEVICE?
In simple terms, the purpose of a backflow plumbing device is to separate the clean water from the contaminated water in your plumbing system. Implementing a backflow prevention device will help disable any polluted backflow water from seeping into the fresh water supply.
This is vital for your health. When waste pipes malfunction, it’s possible for wastewater to travel backwards. That can also occur with various other plumbing systems, such as dishwashers, power washers, sprinkler systems, boilers, and pumps.
In high-level situations such as when disposing of medical waste supplies, dealing with food processing factories, or even the flow of a city’s water, a plumbing backflow preventer is essential.
BACKFLOW PLUMBING DEVICES KEEP PEABODY, MA SAFE
Bad plumbing can be quite dangerous and when properties fail to implement backflow devices, the results can even be deadly. A proper backflow prevention mechanism can be the difference between life and death. One of the events that led to the implementation of mandated backflow devices was the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago.
The high quantity of people who visited the city for the fair taxed the waste system and the fresh water became contaminated. Over a thousand people contracted dysentery and more than 100 people died from it. Luckily, Peabody, MA has a host of various backflow plumbing devices that will keep your water supply safe.
TYPES OF BACKFLOW DEVICES
So which plumbing device prevents backflow? There are several different types of anti-backflow plumbing devices to choose from, including:
- Air gaps: Air gaps are one type of plumbing backflow prevention system that helps prevent dirty water from mixing with clean water. With air gap devices, an intentional space filled with air separates the two types of water.
- Vacuum breakers: Another option is vacuum breakers which help prevent backflow by regulating pressure using a check valve that will take effect if pressure is lost. They work best in systems that have continuous pressure. Vacuum breakers are often used in hoses, faucets, and spigots.
- Check valves: Check valves are another device that regulates backflow. They help clean water stay that way by stopping water flow when the pressure from the clean supply becomes too low. Yet when the clean water supply pressure is high, water can flow freely.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE BACKFLOW ISSUES?
Unfortunately, to the naked eye, there is no way to tell if your water supply is truly safe. In addition, unless you are a professional plumber who is certified, you may have a very difficult time trying to figure out if your water supply is protected against backflow.
However, there are some signs of contaminated water. These include foul odors and taste. You may notice your water just doesn’t taste or smell good anymore. Another sign is water that is cloudy or an odd color.
Still, it is possible to have backflow issues without noticing any changes in your water. That is why a professional assessment is necessary. Testing your water supply is the only way to guarantee that what you and your family are drinking is safe and pure.
CALL TODAY TO ASSESS YOUR BACKFLOW IN PEABODY, MA
If you would like to know more about your options for backflow preventer valves, call our professional plumbing contractors in Peabody, MA. Spencer Home Services will inspect your home or business water system and test it to identify potential issues.
Our certified technicians will assess your home or business and then offer detailed information and recommendations of which backflow device would work the best. We will ensure that your pipelines and sewage system are functioning properly to prevent backflow. In extreme cases, we can also replace sewer lines, if necessary.
For more on “Which plumbing device prevents backflow,” call Spencer Home Services today at 978-293-5770!
