It hasn’t been all that long ago that a residential backflow preventer wasn’t required in city neighborhoods.  The main concern over backflow, it was believed, came from industrial and commercial facilities and not, it was believed, from residential homes.

Then chlordane was siphoned through a hose at a residence in Roanoke, Virginia, contaminating the water supply for an entire neighborhood, costing the area over $200,000 in repairs, and then lawsuits totaling millions of dollars were filed . . . and then it happened again in another community, and another, and another, and the insurance agencies got involved and finally, under the Clean Air and Water Act, actions were taken making it absolutely necessary, under the law, to have residential backflow preventers in all communities.

Backflow is not a trifling matter.  Just as water pressure supplies clean water from the city’s potable water supply to your home, so too is it possible for reverse water pressure to push contaminated water from your home back to the potable water supply, an action known as backflow.  How often does backflow occur?  More often than you would want to know, but with adequate backflow preventers in place, backflow can happen and you, the homeowner, won’t even know it happens.

Backflow protection is provided in a number of ways.  Air gaps are built into sinks, tubs, and basins.  Anti-siphon ballcocks are used in toilets.  Vacuum breakers are used on hose bibs and sill cocks.  Backflow preventers are used on lawn sprinklers, and other backflow preventers are used on supply lines to boilers and other equipment.

Not only are anti-backflow devices used but they are also required to be inspected and maintained properly each year by licensed and certified backflow inspectors and repairmen.

In other words, backflow is not to be trifled with.  It is simply too important a problem for all of us living in a community.

So, how are your backflow preventers working?  Are they doing the job?  Are they still in quality shape or do they have leaking seals or connectors?  In the Texas area, City Backflow Testing is the place to call the next time you need a backflow inspection.  There you will find licensed and certified backflow professionals who use only the finest equipment and replacement parts for your home or business.

Don’t mess around with backflow, and for goodness sake, don’t underestimate its severity.  Get this done now and get it done correctly.  Backflow  demands your due-diligence and the same of all homeowners.