The repair and replacement of backflow prevention devices can be tedious and expensive, primarily because of the regulations UL and NEMA issue. Most backflow prevention devices, like the common air gap, are relatively simple and don't consume power. However, if a backflow situation occurs, your water supply could be contaminated. That's why these devices are rigorously tested and must pass a number of inspections before they can obtain a UL or NEMA certification they can display to prove that they meet safety and performance regulations. Because of these requirements, most backflow preventers and devices are relatively expensive. They're not cheap, and having your plumbing and electrical systems up to code as well can run up a tab in the thousands of dollars.
In Golden, residential choices of backflow prevention devices depend on plumbing installations. Fixtures and their connection to the water system are key considerations. For bathrooms and kitchens with fixtures that pose a risk of back-siphonage, an air gap is an easy and effective solution. A double check valve assembly, too, is a straightforward and simple backflow prevention device, but it is used under limited conditions: when the risk of backflow is low and the fixtures at risk don't make use of a compressed-air system (which is a recipe for back-siphonage). The "gap" in an air gap device is a no-pressure zone that stops back-siphonage. But if there's a chance that the water system could become contaminated, the pressure on the downstream side of the device must be lower than that on the upstream side.
In Golden, the commercial and industrial sectors face unique backflow prevention challenges. The reason is simple: these businesses operate in an environment that’s vastly different from the residential landscapes we’ve just explored—an environment that mixes potential high-risk water supply types with complex, sometimes convoluted, plumbing that has more potential failure points and, consequently, more potential backflow. That necessitates the use of devices that are reliable and well-tested, and that also meet public health standards. Because failing to do so puts you up against public health code enforcement, potential legal liabilities, and fines that could run into the tens of thousands of dollars—a prospect that's ghastly enough to make even the most hardened industrialist shudder.
