One of the most devastating reasons people search for “sewer repair near me” is backflow. Any time the water reverses from its intended direction, you have backflow. Usually occurring when the public water system has a pressure reduction, backflow pushes water where it doesn’t belong. Learn everything you should know about Red Oak backflow prevention and take measures to protect your home.
The Consequences of Backflow
Before examining the ways in which you can prevent backflow, you should know why prevention matters. Backflow has the ability to taint your fresh water supply, which puts you at risk of a serious illness.
Another issue with backflow is the odor. If you don’t take measures to prevent backflow, the vapors and odors could make your bathroom or home smell. It might not seem like much of an issue, but the odor could make your home an unbearable place.
If you use an insecticide on your garden hose, backflow could be lethal. There’s a chance the insecticide will backflow into your drinking water. There’s no good reason to take this risk.
The Various Types of Backflow
There are two basic types of backflow. First, there’s backpressure backflow. This happens when a non-potable water source has a higher pressure than the public water source. At times, the pressure difference is a result of an increase in downstream pressure. There could be a heat expansion from a boiler or a pump that throws off the pressure. Meanwhile, the difference could also be from a decrease in downstream pressure. A water main break or line flushing could be to blame.
The second type of backflow is back-siphonage. If there’s a vacuum or partial vacuum in the water line, polluted water could enter the public system. Although this may be difficult to envision, there’s a simple comparison. Think about sucking water from a stream into a straw. As you suck, a vacuum forms and pulls the water. When you stop sucking, the water goes back into the stream.
Whatever the cause of your backflow might be, you need the help of one of the licensed plumbers in Red Oak. There’s no easy way to fix the problem, and failing to get assistance puts you in danger. Water contamination comes with severe complications.
How You Can Prevent Backflow
In life, there are many non-preventable issues. While you might not be able to do anything to prevent a natural disaster or your roof from leaking, there are things you can do to prevent backflow. If you follow these tips, you limit the chance of backflow occurring.
Check Cross-Connections
The first thing you should do is check your cross-connections. However, this isn’t something you should attempt to handle on your own. Unless you have the training, you can’t know what the cross-connections should look like.
For the best results, work with a plumber you trust. Look for someone who has great reviews and a long track record of success. If there are any potential issues with the connections, the plumber will find them.
Find the Areas of Risk
When the plumber checks the cross-connections, they should look for areas of risk or weakness. In the event of a backflow, what would happen? The plumber can determine the best way to reinforce the weak areas.
In some cases, this means making a few small changes to the plumbing. However, it could also mean installing backflow preventers. Either way, the right plumber knows what it takes to protect your home from backflow.
Understand How Backflow Preventers Work
Although this step isn’t necessary, it’s useful. You can educate yourself on the various types of backflow preventers for a better comprehension of what’s going on behind your walls.
Hose bibb vacuum breakers are affordable and go on your faucet or sillcock. As the name implies, these devices work to prevent backflow from garden hoses and other types of hoses.
Meanwhile, pressure vacuum breakers go on the pipes that supply water to your irrigation system. When you have one installed, you can rest easy knowing that soil, waste, and fertilizer won’t get into your irrigation lines. Every three years, you need to test your pressure vacuum breakers.
A final type of preventer is a reduced pressure principle assembly. Typically, this device goes on water service lines of commercial facilities and water lines of boiler heating systems. These require annual testing.
Don’t Ignore Parts of Your Plumbing System
One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a homeowner is to ignore parts of your system because you don’t think contamination could be an issue. However, every part of your system is vulnerable. Consider something as simple as your hoses. If you have a fertilizer or pest control spray attached to your house, backflow could be trouble.
Receive Regular Plumbing Inspections
For the best results, you need regular checkups and maintenance. Your plumber will not only inspect your cross-connections and backflow preventers, but they will also examine all other components of your plumbing.
How Well are You Protecting Your Home?
People often overlook the importance of preventative measures in their plumbing. However, failing to prevent major issues could come at a high cost. If you aren’t taking measures to prevent backflow, your health is on the line.
If you’re not sure whether or not you have protection against backflow, it’s time to call a plumber. They can tell you more about your plumbing system and how vulnerable it is to backflow. Then, they can give you some recommendations on how to better protect yourself.
Call Us for Advice or Sewer Repair Near Me
Here at Combat Plumbing, we know how devastating backflow can be in Red Oak homes. We don’t want you or anyone in your home to be in danger. For that reason, we strive to give you the highest level of protection from backflow and other plumbing disasters.
Whether you need advice on preventing backflow, an inspection, or a sewer repair near me, give us a call. Our team is standing by and ready to help. Call us today and learn more about our services.
