Smart irrigation design is crucial for ensuring the long-term health of your plants and landscaping, as well as for your health. If you have a properly designed irrigation system, then it is going to make certain that the water for landscaping stays separate from the water you are using for drinking, which will prevent contamination that could result in sickness.
For this reason, it’s crucial to have a back-flow preventer if you have an irrigation system in place in Long Beach, CA.
Here’s a fast overview of back-flow preventers, the way they operate and why they’re beneficial.
All about back-flow Prevention
Irrigation systems are required under the Uniform Plumbing Code to have approved back-flow preventers, which help prevent contamination of the public water source from back-flow from Long Beach, CA.
The term”back-flow” refers to the reversal of water flow that can be a consequence of accidental actions when there’s a cross-connection made between municipal water systems and irrigation methods.
When back-flow happens, it is likely that herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals or harmful substances can make their way from the irrigation system to the public drinking water source.
There are two main causes of back-flow in irrigation systems: back pressure and back siphonage.
Back pressure occurs when the system pressure is higher than the pressure from the supply line. This might occur if you have a pump hooked up downstream from a service line. Such a setup makes it increasingly probable that there will be extra pressure that could lead to back pressure.
Back siphonage happens when you have water being pulled backwards because of a decreased or overall negative pressure from the water system’s supply side. If the irrigation lineup lacks a back-flow preventer at the cross link, the contaminated water may be drawn into the source from emitters like sprinklers.
Some Kinds of back-flow prevention devices in Long Beach, CA contain:
Atmospheric vacuum breakers: These valves are probably the least expensive back-flow preventers, but they will also give you the least overall security. They are usually plastic or brass, and can come in manual or electric forms.
They get installed at each facet of the irrigation system, at least six inches above the maximum emission stage. They are designed to prevent back siphonage with a floating disc that rises and then seals off the air inlet when pressurized. Once depressurized, it will fall to allow air back into the downstream piping.
Pressure vacuum breaker: A PVB is the next level up from an AVB. This device only prevents back siphonage. It features a spring-loaded check valve that closes when water stops flowing, as well as an air relief valve that opens to break the siphon if pressure falls to 1 psi.
Double check valve assembly: A DCV features a pair of spring-loaded check assemblies that stop both back siphonage and back pressure on low hazard systems. You can install it into a valve box underground–just make sure you know the codes for your area.
Reduced pressure assembly: This kind of device provides the most protection against the two types of back-flow, and is the only device approved for use in high-hazard applications.