Backflow occurs on a commercial property when water flows back into the plumbing pipes from an unwanted source. The backflow can cause several health problems as it can contaminate the drinking water supply of a commercial or residential building in Chandler.
A backflow prevention device must therefore be installed in office buildings in Chandler, AZ to avoid this issue. Backflow is of two forms: back pressure and back siphonage. They both work in different ways and understanding them is essential for recognizing if there is a backflow issue in an office building. In this post, we’ll highlight the difference between back pressure and back siphonage and discuss the importance of backflow prevention.
Difference Between Back Pressure and Back Siphonage
Back pressure backflow can occur in different circumstances. Sometimes, it occurs because the pressure in the private water supply system becomes greater than the pressure of the city’s supply system. Back pressure can also be caused by an increase in the temperature of an office building’s boiler.
Back siphonage usually occurs when there’s a reduction in the pressure of water. This may occur because of a leak somewhere in the main water line or because of a higher demand of water. For example, back siphonage can occur in an office building during summer in Chandler when the usage of water increases.
Consequences of Backflow in Chandler
Backflow can contaminate the drinking water causing serious health issues. Backflow may happen unexpectedly and without the awareness of property owners. If the water supply has been contaminated because of a backflow, drinking contaminated water can cause serious harm to the building inhabitants. There have been several cases where people drank water that had been contaminated by a backflow and in some cases, it led to fatal illnesses. In the 1800s, backflow led to the spread of dysentery and typhoid. In the 1900s, backflow caused infectious hepatitis. In the year 1976, the people of Philadelphia suffered from Legionnaire’s disease because of backflow while the problem caused Salmonella in Chicago in 1985.
In 2005, residents in Stanford, Ontario began to notice a strange foamy substance of red color in their water supplies. Upon investigation, it was determined that the cause of the contamination was a backflow that resulted from a car wash. The entire town had to go days without clean and healthy drinking water. A backflow preventer could have averted this incident.
Commercial buildings in Chandler, Arizona that handle toxic chemicals are at higher risk for employees being harmed because of backflow. Residential properties in Chandler, AZ are also at risk as backflow can contaminate drinking water in homes. Property owners should take proper measures for preventing backflow to ensure that the health of people is not put at risk.
How to Identify Backflow
If the color, taste, smell or flow of the water supply in an office building is unusual, it may suggest a backflow. However, sometimes there may be contaminants that cannot be recognized by color, smell or taste. Therefore, the water of an office building should be tested and inspected if the flow of the water has changed.
How to Prevent Backflow
A backflow preventer should be installed in office buildings to keep water systems safe from contamination. The backflow preventer is strategically connected with the commercial plumbing system to ensure that the contaminated water doesn’t come into contact with clean drinking water. Maintaining positive pressure in the water distribution system can also prevent backflows in office buildings and residential apartments in Chandler, AZ.
Annual Inspections are Necessary to Reduce Risk
It is important for commercial building owners to know that backflow prevention devices won’t always stay in perfect condition. Certain parts may break or the whole backflow prevention system may wear down eventually. The system should therefore be checked and tested to ensure that the backflow doesn’t contaminate the drinking water. Experts at Mesa Plumbing suggest that backflow preventer should be tested annually to ensure that office buildings that are vulnerable to backflow can protect their water from being contaminated. The backflow preventer can break without the office building owners’ knowledge and put people at risk of possibly drinking contaminated water. Checking the backflow preventer frequently reduces the odds of backflow and contamination in an office building in Chandler.
Professional Service is Essential
Backflow prevention is critical. If backflow preventers are not installed properly, these devices won’t be able to stop the backflow from contaminating the drinking water supply. Therefore, a licensed plumber must inspect and install backflow preventers in commercial buildings.
Final Thoughts
A backflow can cause serious health issues if it ends up contaminating drinking water supply. Therefore, preventing a backflow is important in office building as well as residential homes in Chandler, AZ to keep people safe from drinking contaminated water. A backflow can be prevented by installing a backflow preventer that ensures that contaminated water doesn’t come into contact with clean drinking water.
If you don’t have a backflow preventer installed in your office building in Chandler, then contact Mesa Plumbing Company. We will send a professional plumber your way to check the plumbing system of your building and then install a backflow preventer that suits your system. If you already have a backflow prevention device, then have the system inspected by our professional plumber. Our plumber will check the backflow preventer connected with your plumbing system to ensure that there isn’t any issue. If there is an issue, our experienced plumber will inform you about it and then fix it after your approval.
For more information about backflow and its prevention, feel free to contact Mesa Plumbing Company in Chandler, AZ.