Your backflow preventer is the silent guardian of your plumbing system.
It sits between your property and the city’s water supply, acting as a one-way gate that ensures clean water comes in, but contaminated water never goes back out.

Let’s talk Back Flows

Diagram of a plumbing system showing a water meter, gate valve, backflow preventer, and a faucet, with labels for flow direction and components.

Understanding how these precision-engineered valves work is the first step in realizing why regular testing isn't just a regulatory hurdle—it’s a vital necessity for health and safety.

There are variations depending on business need; However, a common business variation is the “Double Check Valve Assembly”.

Below is a breakdown of some of the key components:

Diagram showing water flow through a piping system with two valves, with an illustration of a filtration or purification process occurring inside the system.

Test Ports:

These precision-threaded valves serve as the diagnostic access points for the system.

Internal Check Valves:

These are the heart of the device. They are spring-loaded "gates" designed to stay open when water flows forward but snap shut the millisecond they sense a reversal in flow.

Shut-off Valves:

Located at both ends, these allow for the system to be isolated so I can perform repairs or rebuilds without having to shut off water to the entire street or neighborhood.