What Is Backflow Testing and Certification?
Every home should have some kind of check valve to keep sewer backflow from causing serious damage. This may not mean that the equipment you have is effective or efficient. Testing and certification confirms that your backflow system will stop the problem of backflow before it occurs.
What Is Backflow?
Plumbing lines are designed generally to flow only one way. The reason for this is that you do not want waste water flowing back into your home. Backflow means that something has happened to a line that forces it to move in the wrong direction. In the case of a waste water line, this could be a nightmare for you and your home. Backflow can occur within the home’s plumbing, and also from the municipal sewer line that your home is connected to.
How Does Sewer Backflow Damage Homes?
Water damage is troubling enough in and of itself. As water flows back into your home due to backflow, there is little beyond the backflow preventer to control it. This means that if the backflow preventer you have installed to stop backflow from the municipal sewer line fails, you might wake up one day to see your toilets, sinks or even your basement overflowing with waste water and raw sewage. Removing the water and debris quickly is vital to preventing damage, but getting the moisture out of the walls and anything else the water touched is a process that takes longer than a few hours. It puts your home at risk for mold growth and other problems.
When Is Backflow Testing and Certification Necessary?
Every home has to have some kind of backflow preventer. The problem is that you may have no idea what you have, and whether or not it works. Many homes might only have a basic sewer check valve. This is a valve with a flapper that is supposed to close tightly when water flows in the wrong direction. If that flapper gets stuck, however, the preventer fails. A backflow preventer that has worked very well for several years could fail at any time. Backflow testing and certification confirms that the equipment you have in place is working and effective at preventing backflow from invading your home.
Should I Upgrade My Backflow Preventer?
During backflow testing and certification, you might learn that your backflow preventer is not working particularly well. If it is a good product and should be enough for your home’s needs, you might simply decide to have it replaced. However, if your Sacramento plumbing expert tells you that you need better protection, you may consider systems with multiple layers of backflow prevention, such as a reduced pressure zone device or a double check valve.
Backflow is something that every homeowner should strive to prevent in every case. Backflow testing and certification makes sure that your equipment is in good condition and functional. When you are ready to take backflow prevention in your home to the next level, contact us at Ace Plumbing.