Water is life, and that is the fact. That is the main reason why you should keep it as clean as possible, especially since you cannot do anything without it. Imagine the situation that you are getting back from work just to see debris in water after turning on the tap.

It means that your water line has pulled the toxic and dirty water from the irrigation system and used it for the household water supply. This particular situation is something that tends to happen too often, especially in households that do not conduct regular backflow testing.

It is vital to enter here so that you can check out the Department of Health’s official website.

At the same time, you are causing severe issues by consuming toxic bacteria and other substances that may cause health problems in the long run.

The best way to avoid the stress that comes with the potential contaminants within your home’s water supply is by conducting regular backflow testing.

It is one of the most critical maintenance inspections; you should conduct it on an annual basis.

The Issues of Undetected Backflow

It would help if you understood by now that backflow is highly dangerous because it will fill your household’s water supply with dangerous bacteria, chemicals, and germs. Consuming these substances can lead to severe health issues and risks, which are something you need to, remember.

According to studies, having faulty backflow is more problematic for your health than living close to the chemical plants.

It is just an example that will help you understand that particular industries could affect the quality of water you are consuming. At the same time, it can be fatal after a while, which is an important consideration.

In case you live nearby factories, you should conduct backflow testing to prevent everything we have mentioned above.

At the same time, due to cross-contamination, you are causing the risks to other houses within your area, which is why everyone should be aware of what their inaction could cause.

The common issues that happen due to lousy backflow include:

• Chemical Burns
• Salmonella outbreak
• Infectious hepatitis
• Dysentery, Typhoid and Amoebiasis

If you avoid taking the necessary precautions, you will risk the health concerns to your loved ones, which will lead to severe illnesses and, in some situations, fatalities.

How to Prevent Backflow?

This particular problem tends to happen due to two reasons: backpressure and back-siphonage. Have in mind that back-siphonage means that water is flowing reversely with an idea to drop the pressure on the overall water supply.

The most common reason for it is due to water main break, and as soon as it happens, substances will enter into the potable water, which makes it dangerous for consumption.

On the other hand, backpressure happens when the downstream pipe pressure rises the overall supply pressure of the system, which also results in pushing harmful toxins into the main water supply.

Check out this site: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-is-in-your-tap-water to learn the consequences of drinking contaminated water.

Generally, backflow testing is the procedure that detects the presence of it. Besides, it can determine what is causing an issue in your particular situation.

The idea is to call a certified plumber from your area to open and close valves on a testing device, with an idea to check the changes within the gauge movement, which is an indication that you have a backflow issue.

The best way to prevent it from happening is to find a backflow preventer valve and place it in locations with high contamination. However, they tend to fail after a while, which means that testing will determine whether you should buy new ones instead.

How to Stop It?

We have mentioned above that it tends to happen due to altered pressure within your water line system. Keep in mind that when it happens within your household, it is because a pipe is next to a heating system, and the thermal expansion increases the overall pressure.

Signs that you have a backflow within the water supply are:

• Water that tastes and smells bad
• Discolored water

If you notice these two signs within your primary system, you should stop using the water immediately. You can do it by going to the main valve and shutting it down because your entire household can expose them to severe contamination.

Backflow is an emergency plumbing situation that you need to handle as soon as possible. Think about prevention as the best way to provide yourself peace of mind and maintain the overall safety of your household.

Since the problem is not visible at first, you can consume contaminated water without knowing anything about it. That is the main reason why you should schedule backflow testing.

Testing is Prevention

During the process of back flow testing, a plumbing company will be able to determine what is going on within your entire system.

They will test the pressure issues as well as other problems. Generally, the pressure of your water system is more intense when the backflow is happening, which means that your pipes will take the hit as well.

The results will lead to both contaminated and high-pressurized water, which will combine with the clean one.

Testing Procedure

• The plumbers will come to your home and shut the main valve for at least half an hour to test every single device. If your device is next to the fire line, you will have to put the system on test mode as well.
• In case the test fails, plumbers will provide you the proposal on replacement or repair of the device that prevents it. After they complete replacement or repair, they will need to re-test the new device to see whether it passes the test or not.
• In case of replacement or repair, the main water valve will stay shut for longer than half an hour. It depends on the type of repair, but you need to prepare yourself beforehand.
• As soon as testing, as well as repair, is finished, you will get the paperwork that you should give to the water department in case you live in an area where testing is mandatory and required. You should keep the copies just in case something happens in the future.