Has your water tasted or looked a bit weird lately? For most College Park homeowners, their backflow preventer doesn’t even cross their minds when thinking about potential plumbing issues. Your home’s backflow preventer is typically taken for granted and usually forgotten about when compared to the various other plumbing fixtures inside of your home. However, it’s one of the most essential pieces of plumbing equipment that should not ever be neglected. You shouldn’t take the risk of contaminated water changing its direction in your pipes and entering your clean water lines. When imminent disaster strikes and backflow repairs are needed, it’s crucial that you have the most effective plumbing team right by your side.
An issue with your backflow preventer might start with problems with your irrigation water lines, which may become tainted by weed poison, pesticides, or backflow into the interior lines. If any contaminated water backflows into your drinking supply, the issue could spread and become worse than it already is. A backflow preventer protects drinking water and prevents wastewater from flowing back out and contaminating any public water supplies. The sooner you notice the problems with your backflow preventer, the better the backflow repairs will go for our professional team. Master Plumbing offers total backflow repairs in College Park to help you out in an emergency!
Professional College Park Plumbers Ready to Help
At Master Plumbing, we have a fully-staffed, certified, and equipped team of plumbers who are all experienced in the plumbing industry. From water heater replacements, sewer line repairs, or any smaller fixes you may need, Master Plumbing can give you a hand with whatever plumbing problems you might be experiencing in your College Park residence.
We want you to know that your home’s plumbing system is in the right hands with us. Not only will we complete any required repairs and replacements in an efficient and timely manner, but we will also make sure that everything is working correctly moving forward.
What Exactly Is a Backflow Preventer?
You might not be exactly sure what a backflow preventer is and how it really works. No need to worry though, we’ll explain. A backflow preventer is a kind of backflow prevention device. Essentially, a backflow preventer shuts off water flow to a source of clean water when the water pressure dips or rises beyond a certain specific amount. They come in various types and sizes, but they come in three detailed “hazard ratings.” This rating is given to every preventer based on the types of risk it is designed to stop. Low-risk preventers are for any “nuisance” situations, and high-risk preventers are for situations where contamination might lead to serious illnesses or death. Medium risk preventers are for the jobs that fit in between the two.
How are Backflow Preventers Used?
These devices are used in a few different ways. One is to prevent sewage water from ever flooding backward into a house or other building. They’re also useful in any area where unclean water is being directed away from clean, potable water. The valve comes into play only in those emergency situations when the water pressure dips low enough that contaminants could possibly re-enter the water supply.
Types of Backflow Preventers
There are a couple of types of backflow preventers that could be repaired in your College Park home. They are:
- Atmospheric vacuum breaker backflow preventer: these are the cheapest kind of backflow preventer, but some local codes outlaw atmospheric vacuum breakers since they’re unreliable and require units to be installed at every control valve.
- Pressure vacuum breakers: these perform the same function as an atmospheric vacuum breaker, but require only one unit to protect the whole water system while mounted on the main water line.
- Reduced pressure backflow preventer: this is the top of the line for backflow preventers and is the device of choice since it can withstand the introduction of fertilizer and other chemicals, it is also a smart choice for residential water systems.
- Double-check backflow preventer: these are not susceptible to contaminants in the air since it is installed under the ground in a vault, which also protects against any freezing.
If you think you might need backflow repairs, give Master Plumbing a call today!
Professional Plumbing Replacements and Repairs in College Park from Master Plumbing
Whether your sewage line needs complete replacement, patches, or a localized fix, you can rely on the team at Master Plumbing for an accurate diagnosis, a fair price, and full details on our recommended course of action. Give Master Plumbing a call at (301) 650-9100 or contact us online to get more information about how our expert plumbers can help you in Germatown with your sewer line replacement, emergency repairs, and ongoing plumbing repair needs. We have received Angie’s List Super Service Award recognition for plumbing and drain cleaning every year since 2007, in addition to the Best Plumber award from Best of Bethesda! We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and our service is unparalleled.