Back Flow Prevention Testing
At Field Plumbing & Heating, your safety and comfort are always top priorities for us. Our plumbing professionals have the needed specialized training and experience to manage all aspects of your backflow prevention system to help ensure you always have clean water in your Michigan home or business.
What Is Backflow?
In water systems, backflow is when water flows in reverse. Water is intentionally designed and forced to move in one direction through pipes. When water flows in reverse, it can lead to contamination of your Lawrence home’s or business’s water—especially your drinking water, also known as potable water.
Two causes of backflow are backpressure and backsiphonage.
Backpressure backflow occurs when the pressure from a nonpotable water source increases over the pressure from the main water, or potable water, source. As a result, the potable water may then flow in reverse and nonpotable contaminants will infiltrate your drinking water.
Backsiphonage backflow can result from a sudden decrease in the water distribution system’s pressure. You may experience this during a water main break. The sudden pressure decrease may cause a suction effect, reversing the water flow. As in the case with backpressure, your potable water may be contaminated.
To help protect your Michigan home or business from the dangers associated with backflow issues, talk to our Field Plumbing & Heating plumbers. We want to be sure your water system has the appropriate backflow preventer device for your specific needs. All backflow devices are different, and our plumbers will ensure you have the correct device for your home or business.
What Is a Backflow Prevention Device?
A backflow device is a valve installed in a water pipe to force water to flow in one direction. These devices are typically located at your water meter, preventing backflow. They are incredibly important—protecting your water supply from dangerous contamination.
When a device fails due to a needed repair or replacement, water is free to flow in either direction. This leads to backflow problems and requires urgent attention.
Why Is Backflow Prevention Testing Necessary?
You want to keep your Lawrence home’s or business’s potable water safe at all times. Contaminated water might carry harmful substances such as chemicals, bacteria, and disease-transmitting germs.
To help with that, testing by a licensed plumber is typically required by most cities, counties, and states. You will typically receive a letter in the mail from your city government requiring a backflow prevention test. Proof of proper working order and compliance with regulations is necessary.
You may not realize your backflow preventer device isn’t working as intended in your system. Contamination can happen quickly. Sometimes, though not always, there are signs of contaminated water such as :
- Water smelling like sulphur
- Discolored water
- Sediment or rust in water
- Water with unpleasant or foul taste
- Slow water flow
Call us immediately if you have water abnormalities. If you haven’t had a backflow prevention test, we may suggest it at that time. To avert possible water contamination, you need annual professional backflow prevention testing.
Once our expert Field Plumbing & Heating plumbers test your system, we will issue you a certificate as proof your system passed. However, if your system fails its test, we will need to either repair or replace your faulty device immediately.
Backflow Prevention Repair
If your water system fails its backflow prevention test due to an essential repair, our Field Plumbing & Heating plumber needs to make the repair immediately. In most cases, we will have the part with us and will expeditiously address the problem on the spot.
Backflow Prevention Replacement
In cases where the device failed due to a more complex scenario, our plumbers will need to replace the entire assembly. That requires more time than a simple repair, and we usually schedule a separate appointment to get your water system back to regulated performance as soon as possible.
We Are Your Backflow Prevention Experts
Contact our plumbers at 269-674-3839 or request service online immediately if you suspect you have a failed backflow prevention device. Or if it’s simply time to schedule your annual backflow prevention test, get in touch with us to set an appointment. Our Field Plumbing & Heating plumbers are always here to help with all of your plumbing needs in your Lawrence, MI, home or business.