When water flows in pipes, it’s supposed to go in one direction. This design supplies clean water for daily work activities, such as cooking and washing. Unfortunately, the design doesn’t always work as planned, and water starts flowing backwards. This reversal is called backflow, and it can create some gross and even dangerous situations, especially in commercial establishments.
Think how catastrophic it would be if industrial chemicals, sewage, or mop water ended up in the water supply used for drinking. It’s situations like these that backflow preventers keep from occurring. To understand this more fully, let’s break down why commercial establishments are more at risk, the consequences of backflow, and how backflow preventers work.
Why Commercial Buildings Are More at Risk
The plumbing systems in commercial establishments are far more intricate than those found in homes. These systems have many different connections as well as many potential sources of contamination. Manufacturing plants have numerous industrial processes that involve all sorts of chemicals. Hospitals use water for everything from sterilizing equipment to laundering bed linens and gowns. In restaurant settings, dishwashers, grease traps, and ice machines all connect to the water supply. Since there are so many risks for contaminated water mixing with potable water in such settings, backflow preventers are a must.
The Nasty Consequences of Backflow
If backflow occurs in commercial establishments, the consequences can be dire. If you were to drink water that had been contaminated with industrial chemicals or sewage, you could become extremely ill or even die. To say nothing of the fact that waterborne illnesses can impact individuals in a community on a wide scale. Chemicals that are corrosive can eat away at pipe linings and damage plumbing fixtures.
How Backflow Preventers Work
Backflow preventers are valves that are designed to make certain that water only flows in one direction. There are different types of these devices; however, the way they work is the same. Once they are installed, they will close when they detect backflow for any reason. To make sure they work reliably, professional plumbers will test them frequently.
If you are the owner of a commercial establishment, you need to have maintenance performed on your plumbing on a quarterly basis, especially if your business serves a significant number of people. This is to ensure that, in case there are potential problems that can impact public health, they can be mitigated before disaster strikes and a public health emergency results.
For commercial plumbing maintenance in Newnan, GA, call E Dennis right now.
