You’re a householder, but you don’t have any ideas on how to avoid plumbing backflow at your place. There are varying causes why a backflow at your water supply is happening. Backflow of water occurs when tainted water from one of your home’s plumbing systems runs back into your clean water supply or your city’s municipal water lines. Aside from this, you must also learn the differing hazardous results of a water backflow. How would it affect your family and as well as your neighbors?
Throughout history, water backflow occurrences have contributed to numerous outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Thus, plenty of individuals have probably fallen ill due to domestic water contamination brought on by plumbing backflow without even truly realizing it. If not addressed immediately, this issue will get worse day by day.
If you want easy and uncomplicated tips on how to avoid it, you should keep reading this guide. Before knowing its prevention tips, you must also know and understand the actual meaning of a water backflow and how it may happen to every household.
What is Backflow and How Does it Happen?
There are two pipes or lines to every household plumbing system. All water lines, both potable and non-potable water lines, are cross-connected at some places in a water supply system. If there are emerging issues on these two pipes, water contamination could occur, which can undoubtedly harm your family.
Nonetheless, variations in water pressure can allow unclean water from the toilet and sink to run back into the main water line and contaminate the entire water supply source within the house. Remember that water contamination caused by plumbing backflow can pollute not just your sink but all your house’s water depository.
Here are the water backflow prevention tips that you should know and learn. Due to modernization, remember that all these tips may vary for every type of plumbing system every home has.
What Causes Backflow?
To substantially understand this plumbing system issue, you should look closely at its specific causes. Two probable causes of water backflow are identified by their varying water pressure.
1. Back siphoning
This happens when a water main break or a damaged standpipe causes a sudden drop in pressure inside the community’s plumbing system. A residential’s clean water supply lines or the town’s clean water lines may be absorbed or sucked by unclean water due to this pressure reduction, potentially polluting the clean water within. Polluted water can mix with clean water, thus, bringing harm to every household in your town.
2. Backpressure
Contrarily, backpressure happens when the water pressure within a house suddenly rises and pushes tainted domestic water back into the house’s or the community’s clean water supply. Although there are various reasons why backpressure happens, it frequently occurs when a home’s water line becomes blocked, forcing any water that cannot get past the obstruction to flow backward due to pressure.
If you don’t have enough time to check your home’s plumbing system, it is best to call some experts in this field. Plumbers like in Hornsby can effectively help you with any plumbing issues!
How to Prevent Backflow in Your Water Supply at Home
There are plenty of tips on preventing backflow in your water supply. These tips can be divided into two categories – the essential natural methods and the backflow prevention tools. Let’s first tackle the vital natural procedures.
The essential natural methods
- This includes regularly checking and monitoring your home’s plumbing system. Remember that water backflow will not happen if you inspect your plumbing system frequently. Thus, water contamination will not occur, making drinking safe for your family.
- Replace rusty water pipes with new ones. Aside from the water pressure, rusty pipes can also cause water contamination. There are plenty of professional plumbers who can undoubtedly help you in replacing your discolored lines with top-quality tubes.
The Water Backflow Preventer Tools
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker Tool (PVB)
One of the most often used backflow prevention tools nowadays is the pressure vacuum breaker tool. A single pressure vacuum break can protect your entire home against the dangers of water backflow. You can simply check its functionality when necessary since it usually comes with test valves.
2. Atmospheric Vacuum Breaker Tool (AVB)
AVBs are inexpensive backflow prevention tools. Yet, one AVBwon’t be enough to save your house from backflow risks. To stop backflow through just one valve in the place, this device is instead installed close to that valve to avoid any incoming water pressure on the pipes.
3. Reduced Pressure Zone Tool (RPZ)
This is the third and the last water backflow prevention tool on our list. A reduced pressure zone tool is the most effective backflow prevention device. It is perfect for usage in houses with a high risk of dangerous backflow. Unlike all other backflow protection devices, an RPZ shields a home’s water supply from back siphonage and pressure.
The Importance of Preventing Backflow in Your Water Supply at Home
It is essential to prevent water backflow at home. By preventing it from happening, we may save our family’s wellness and our neighbors’ well-being. This plays a crucial factor in our lives since this issue can bring harm to people. As the most common adage goes, “Prevention is better than cure.” Be a responsible resident and keep safe, folks!