The Benefits Of BackFlow Certification

If you've received a letter from the city reminding you it's time for you to get your backflow tested you may be wondering why you have to do it every year. It's actually a question we get asked often so we thought we'd write about it. Don't worry, you won't have to be a plumber to understand, but you will need a certified tester to test your backflow for you.

Overview of Backflows

Backflow prevention devices come in many different sizes ranging from under 1 inch to over several inches large. Generally speaking the larger the size of the backflow the more it will cost to get tested. Backflow preventers are devices that allow water to flow one way and not the other. For example water can flow to your home from the city but not from your home to the city in the same pipe. What this does is help keep out contaminants from the city's water supply. This keeps you and your family as well as your neighbors and other residents safe from such water.

If you have a crack, hole, or other damage to your water line water from outside the system can enter through the damaged area. The water brings with it any contaminates like fertilizers, oils, detergents, etc. that soaked into the ground nearby. If the water main is also damaged in some way the pressure of your water is greater and meaning the contaminated water can enter the city's water supply. A backflow prevention device is installed somewhere in the water line between your home and the main line (usually by the meter) to keep contaminated water from moving into the water supply. It does this by closing the pipe off and/or redirecting the water elsewhere. This keeps the contaminants out of the water supply ensuring the safety of you and your neighbors.

Because the proper functioning of backflow prevention devices directly impacts the health of city residents they are required to be tested and certified to be working properly each year. At PipeTechs we have several certified and experienced back-flow testers and we take care of sending the results to your city for you. If your back-flow needs to be replaced or rebuilt we can do that as well. If you decide to use our plumbing service agreement you can add back-flow testing for $75 ($10 off our normal pricing!).