Backflow Testing Services

Water purity is essential for health, and backflow testing services can help make sure that a water supply is safe to drink. Preventing contamination of a water supply is an essential function of backflow devices. Homes and offices receive fresh, clean water through a public water system that has a network of pipes that distributes it under pressure. The possibility of contamination from gas, liquid, solids or a combination of pollutants occurs when water undesirably reverses course and flows backward into the network.

Ensuring Performance

Backflow devices usually prevent the intake of contaminants, and they work properly when correctly installed. They are mechanical devices, and they can fail to perform the essential job of preventing backflow into a home or business. Equipment failures can result in negative consequences to a water supply, and risking harm to the public health is not an acceptable option. When properly installed and maintained, including regular testing, they can prevent contaminants from entering a public water supply.

Back siphonage can make backflow occur, and it can also result from back pressure. Unless detected, such conditions can allow contaminants to enter a water distribution system and make it unsafe for consumption. A safeguard against the unknown status of a water supply is the regular use of backflow testing services.

Understanding the Testing Process

Backflow devices have ports that allow them to provide access for testing. A procedure that some states require every year and a good one to follow, annual testing detects problems that are present. The usual first step in testing is to confirm that the device is in good working order through the use of a verified kit. A qualified backflow technician has the training and expertise to conduct the test correctly and reliably. For the test, the technician shuts off water that is downstream of the device.

Considering the Likelihood of Failure

When backflow devices fail, it is often due to several common factors. Their frequency of use influences their lifespan as well as the amount of pressure that they resist. Water quality can affect their durability as well. Statistics show that approximately five percent of backflow devices fail an examination by qualified backflow testing services. While problems that can cause failure are not complicated, they can render a device ineffective. Freezing temperatures can have a negative effect on backflow devices that are outside. A qualified technician can conduct a test and replace worn parts or install a new device when necessary to ensure the availability of a safe water supply.

You can rely on JPPlumbing. Call us to service your backflow testing needs.