Mayfair Plumbing and Gasfitting has an inhouse department set up to cater to all your Adelaide backflow prevention needs. We provide backflow testing, installations and repairs throughout Adelaide.
Mayfair Plumbing and Gasfitting can inspect and test your backflow valves every 12 months as recommended by The Office of Technical Regulators (The OTR). Whether you have a 15mm RPZD valve or you have a 20 DCVA, Mayfair Plumbing and Gasfitting can attend to all your backflow needs. Call us today to have your backflow valve serviced.
Please take a moment to view our video on backflow to help further explain what backflow is and what a backflow valve looks like.
What is backflow?
Backflow is the undesirable reversal of the flow of water, mixtures or liquids and other undesirable substances from any source (such as used water, industrial fluids, gasses, or any substance other than the intended potable water) into the distribution pipes of the drinking water system. Backflow occurs as a result of a “cross-connection” within the water pipes system, which exists when there is any actual or potential connection between a potable water system and any other source or system through which it is possible to introduce into the drinking water system any used water or other substance.
An example of backflow occurring
There can be many instances of cross-connection hazard. To explain the risk involved, imagine that one end of your garden hose is attached to your home’s water system and the other end is placed down into a bucket of liquid fertiliser. At the same time an abrupt loss of water occurs in the main water line serving your home (such as a water main break or large volumes of water released from a fire hydrant, which is very common in Adelaide). The pressure drop causes a reverse flow in the water line and in a system with no backflow prevention liquid fertiliser from the bucket is sucked into your home’s drinking water and potentially into the main water line servicing your local suburbs.
However, if the outlet your garden hose is connected to is equipped with a backflow device, the reverse flow would cause the check in the backflow device to engage and stop the backflow at the hose connection point. If there is no hose tap backflow preventer or if the backflow preventer is not operating properly, the backflow valve prevention assembly installed between your home and the main water line would engage and prevent the liquid fertiliser from contaminating the main water line.
What are the different hazard ratings?
- LOW RISK – any condition, device or practice in connection with the drinking water supply system that constitutes a nuisance but does not endanger health or cause injury
- MEDIUM RISK – any condition, device or practice in connection with the drinking water supply system that could endanger health
- HIGH RISK – any condition, device or practice in connection with the drinking water supply system that could cause death
Who can test my backflow valves?
Only a fully licensed plumber can test and install your backflow valve. Call the team at Mayfair Plumbing and Gasfitting in Adelaide today “The Backflow Experts”.