Backflow Testing, Repair & Installation

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Backflow Testing, Repair, Installation and Maintenance Services in Ventura County

Commercial & Residential Backflow Preventer Services

Did you know that most residential and commercial plumbing systems require backflow preventers due to municipal and state codes? This ensures that your house, building, apartment complex, and etc. have tap water safe for drinking and free of contaminants. Typically, businesses require more frequent backflow testing and maintenance. At Gallegos Plumbing, we are fully certified for full-service backflow prevention for residential homes, medical facilities, car washes, beauty salons, greenhouses, funeral parlors, food processing plants, and any other plumbing site throughout Ventura County.

In particular, individual counties within Southern California require that residential and commercial backflow prevention devices are tested and certified at least once a year by a licensed plumbing technician. At Gallegos Plumbing, our team is equipped and experienced to handle your property’s backflow maintenance from testing to repairs, replacements, and installations.

Are you a local Ventura homeowner, property manager, or business owner in need of backflow testing services? Schedule an inspection with your local professionals at Gallegos Plumbing!

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Gallegos Plumbing Are Certified Backflow Specialists

For 23 years Gallegos Plumbing has been proud to offer premier plumbing services as a local, family-run business. We work with homeowners, builders and contractors, and fellow local businesses to ensure the safety and quality of their water systems. It’s important that our customers’ plumbing runs at peak performance all year round, so our team completes backflow testing, repair, and installs in the following Ventura County and other surrounding areas:

Agoura Hills Channel Islands Beach Carpinteria Calabasas Camarillo
Downtown Ventura Fillmore Hollywood Beach Las Posas Estates Moorpark
Mandalay Bay Newbury Park Oak View Ojai Oxnard
Oxnard Shores Port Hueneme Santa Barbara Santa Paula Saticoy
Silverstrand Simi Valley Somis Thousand Oaks
Ventura Ventura Beach Ventura Harbor

What Is Backflow?

Normally, any potable water supply maintains enough pressure that allows water to easily flow from the source to the tap, shower/bathtub, or other water appliances. However, your water pressure can significantly decrease if your pipes or main sewer lines experience breaks and/or blockages. Low water pressure can also be a result of nearby emergencies, such as a local fire that requires the use of multiple fire hydrants.

When this happens, it’s important to keep in mind that any noticeable drops in water pressure in your potable water pipe allows the potential for contaminated water from the soil, holding ponds, or other sources to be siphoned up into your water system, thus making your plumbing system a health hazard. That’s why backflow prevention devices are essential–they are designed to block contaminants from getting into your water system, thus protecting your drinking water and eliminating health risk to residents and occupants.

How Does A Backflow Prevention Device Work?

More often than not, homes and buildings use air gap backflow prevention devices, which simply provide a vertical space of air between any water fixture or appliance, such as a washing machine, that connects to your plumbing and water supply.

When a minimum air gap distance cannot be installed, a mechanical backflow prevention device is needed. These types of backflow preventers allow water to flow one way through a backflow valve; then, the valve closes to prevent water from flowing back through the pipe. Since these backflow preventers are mechanical, they are subject to wear and tear. At Gallegos Plumbing, we highly recommend that mechanical backflow prevention devices are inspected and tested regularly to ensure proper functioning and peak performance.

» The Main Causes Of Backflow

Simply put, backflow is the reversal of flowing gas, liquid, or suspended solids into a potable water supply. Backflow prevention devices are thus installed at access points where a potable water system connects with a non-potable water system to prevent contaminants from infiltrating your drinking water. Here are some of the most common causes of backflow problems within residential and commercial plumbing systems.

Background

Faulty Backflow Preventer: One of the most crucial components for your water system’s drainage and disposal system, a backflow preventer is responsible for making sure your water remains contaminant-free. Most homes rely on gravity to move sewage into their main municipal system. However, with homes that are below the city’s sewer main sewer line, an ejector pump is installed. In either case, the backflow prevention device is a check valve that prevents sewage from flowing back into the water system of your home or building. If you are experiencing any backflow issue due to a broken backflow preventer, you need to contact a local plumbing professional immediately, as this poses serious health risks.

Sewer Line Damage: Sewer lines are responsible for transporting wastewater into your municipal sewage system. If your pipes or sewer lines are made of galvanized steel, they are more prone to breaks and blockages, which can cause a backflow of sewage into your home. Sewer line damage usually makes itself known in basements, and backflow will produce unpleasant odors. An inspection and backflow test from a certified plumber will be able to determine the source and cause in order to make your water supply safe again.

Municipal Source: Sometimes the cause of backflow is not within your plumbing, but rather your city’s main sewage system. When this happens, it’s the municipality or utility company’s responsibility to rectify the backflow issue, but a plumbing professional can help you clean-up and prevent any damage to your property.

» Why Is Backflow Testing So Important?

Making sure your water supply is uncontaminated ensures zero health risk to individuals and entire communities. More often than not, an entire water supply can be compromised due to the local, nearby industrial sites that use toxic chemicals to descale commercial boilers, bleach for power washing, and even contaminants in the soil from agricultural practices. Backflow testing is absolutely vital for each and every plumbing system. Backflow prevention devices need to be checked and maintained regularly in order to confirm that they are separating wastewater effectively. Otherwise, serious medical issues can result from continual, undetected backflow.

How To Fix A Backflow Plumbing Issue

At Gallegos Plumbing, we are fully certified and insured to offer backflow testing, repair, and installations to property owners and managers throughout Ventura. Any backflow issue in your plumbing system requires immediate service from a qualified technician–do not try to fix the problem yourself! Here are 5 of the most common areas and techniques our plumbing professionals use for thorough backflow testing.

Hose Bib Backflow Preventer: Most commonly found in residential plumbing, these types of backflow prevention devices protect single water outlets such as kitchen or bathroom sink faucets. If needed, our plumbing professionals will repair or replace the spring inside the device that ensures one-way water pressure to prevent backflow.

Pressure Type Vacuum Breaker: Also common within residential plumbing systems, pressure type vacuum breakers are installed in pipes that feed water to a sprinkler system. This allows for constant monitoring of water pressure, while also supplying a valve that closes to eliminate any prospect of backflow.

Barometric Loop: A structural solution, the barometric loop is comprised of a U-shaped pipe that moves water upstream through a cross-connection pipe. This technique is effective for backflow prevention as long as your system doesn’t experience any back pressure.

Air Gaps: One of the simplest ways to ensure backflow prevention is by installing air gaps below a water outlet and above the potential water level of the water appliance. More often than not, sinks use air gaps to keep contaminants from infiltrating your water supply.

Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Preventer: A more complex backflow prevention method, the reduced pressure principle backflow preventer has a central cheap with a valve on each side, which close after water fixtures are shut off. This prevents backflow as well as back-up.

Backflow FAQs

Before calling a plumbing professional, we understand that you will surely have questions. Here, we’ve answered some of the most frequent queries we receive about our backflow testing services!

What Is Backflow Testing?

Backflow testing simply ensures that no contaminants or particulate waste matter are making it to your tap or drinking water or infiltrating the public water supply at large. For the safety of any plumbing system, it’s important that your drainage works properly without any backflow.

Why Is Backflow Testing Required?

Many people think that backflow testing is just a way for local water companies to make extra profits. However, backflow testing is so much more than that. It is required because backflow prevention devices are responsible for keeping water from siphoning, which refers to the process of contaminants being siphoned into the public water supply if your system loses pressure due to blockages or breaks.

How Long Does It Take To Complete A Backflow Test?

Depending on the backflow prevention device(s) installed, a certified backflow test performed by a plumbing professional can take anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes per device. Keep in mind that backflow preventer installs take a bit longer to set-up than inspect.

How Much Does Backflow Testing Cost?

The cost of backflow testing can vary according to plumbing company, your regional area, how many backflow devices require maintenance, and so on. At Gallegos Plumbing, we pride ourselves in offering cost-effective plumbing solutions throughout Ventura County. For every inspection, you receive a free quote, and financing options are always available!

Which Backflow Prevention Device Is Best For My Water System?

There are many backflow prevention devices on the market, with the three most common being: Pressure Vacuum Breakers (PVBs), Reduced Pressure Zones (RPZ), and Double-Check Assemblies (DCA). What all three of these backflow preventers have in common is that they are installed immediately after the isolation valve in a water system. When you need a backflow testing, repair, or install, you can rest assured that Gallegos Plumbing will offer the best backflow solution for your home or building.

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