Clean water is essential for households to perform daily tasks. Backflow preventers safeguard your water supply by preventing contamination and maintaining unidirectional water flow, ensuring clean, potable water for your home and business.
Depending on your plumbing requirements, you can install different backflow prevention devices at home. For example, an Atmospheric Vacuum Breaker (AVB) is a backflow prevention device used in plumbing to prevent the backflow of non-potable liquids into the drinking water system. And if you have cross-connections in your residential plumbing, you can use dual check valves.
In this article, we’ll talk about the benefits of installing these preventers to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of your residential and commercial water system.
Benefits Of Installing A Backflow Prevention Device
1. Removing Impurities
The first and most important benefit of installing a backflow preventer is to keep the water clean and drinkable by eliminating impurities. Since it effectively separates drinking water and wastewater, it’s possible to prevent organic wastes, toxic chemicals, and harmful microorganisms from polluting the water.
A backflow prevention device will help avoid the deposition of sediments and rust particles in your central water system. That way, the water in your pipelines will remain perfectly safe without causing health hazards while preventing diseases like cholera and diarrhoea.
2. Improving Water Quality
Installing a backflow preventer can keep the water crystal clear without any foul smell or weird taste. Contaminated water usually has high sulphur content, which affects the water quality and gives it an odd taste.
Without a backflow prevention device, you might notice muddy water flowing through the faucets every time you turn them on. Thus, proper installation and maintenance of the device can improve the water quality of your residential water system.
3. Maintaining Water Pressure
Back-siphonage and a drop in water pressure are two significant backflow issues that can make it difficult to perform everyday household chores. It can be quite troublesome if the water stops flowing from the showerhead when you shower.
Similarly, washing your car with dirty water due to back-siphonage doesn’t sound ideal either. A backflow preventer can help you avoid these problems and safeguard your water system.
4. Preventing Water Leaks And Pipe Damage
A backflow preventer can prevent frequent water leaks because it maintains pressure inside your water pipes. Since there’s no excess pressure build-up, the chances of water leakage due to burst pipes are much lower.
Not only this, but a backflow prevention device also restricts sediment deposition inside the pipes and improves water flow for quick drainage. You won’t be left with an overflowing drain and can save much money on drain and pipe repairs. It can be excellent for keeping your plumbing and water systems pristine.
Different Types Of Backflow Prevention Devices
1. Reduced Pressure Zone Device (RPZD)
The RPZD preventer stops hazardous water contaminants from mixing with clean water and is usually installed in large commercial properties.
This device has a chamber between two check valves, making monitoring pressure inside the pipes much more accessible. It also has an additional drain to relieve any excess pressure build-up that might damage your water pipes.
Hence, the pressure inside its chamber never exceeds the pressure of the main water supply, effectively preventing water from flowing in the opposite direction.
2. Air Gap
The air gap is a popular backflow preventer and is quite common in residential sinks and bathrooms. Air gaps offer a physical break between the water supply line and the water container. That way, the contaminated water stays inside the pipes and can’t enter fixtures like faucets and showerheads. You can avoid using dirty, contaminated water by installing an air gap, even during backflow.
3. Pressure Vacuum Breakers
Pressure vacuum breakers are the latest backflow prevention devices on the market and are usually installed with underground lawn sprinkler systems to prevent back-siphonage. A pressure vacuum breaker comes with a check valve that protects against pressure drops inside the pipelines.
Also, a spring at the top opens the inlet valve, letting air into the system to break the syphoning effect. In that way, the water flows downstream and exits the pipes without allowing pressure to build up inside them.
4. Automatic Flood Gate Valve
As the name suggests, this backflow prevention device works like a floodgate and stops dirty wastewater from entering the central water system. It’s fully automatic and solely works on air pressure. Once the gate closes automatically, a stainless steel knife holds back the contaminated water and prevents backflow for as long as required.
Reap the benefits of Installing Backflow Prevention Devices
Although most homeowners may not understand how a backflow preventer works, they know the importance of maintaining their plumbing and water systems. If you notice any foul smell, discolouration, or impurities in your drinking water, installing a new backflow preventer might be time. If you already have backflow preventers, your device must receive regular backflow testing to see if they work well.
Try not to ignore a plumbing emergency in your sewer system, such as backflow and the signs of backflow. Call a professional plumber immediately. Depending on your house’s plumbing requirements, you can install any of the devices mentioned in this article. Also, proper maintenance of the newly installed backflow prevention device for sanitation and hygiene must be ensured. It will also prevent the possibility of frozen pipes from bursting.
Fixed Today Plumbing, your trusted plumbers in Sydney, offers backflow testing and backflow prevention containment device installation and all your plumbing needs in residential properties and commercial establishments. Contact our licensed plumbers at Fixed Today for your backflow prevention requirements to make your water system safe for your family, prevent a threat to your health, further damage to your plumbing system, and incur expensive repairs.
