Backflow Prevention Greenwood Village

In Greenwood Village, a backflow test usually costs between $50 and $150. The primary determinant of the price is the system's complexity. However, even among simple systems, costs can vary. For instance, some plumbing companies charge more or less than others. Additionally, the types of backflow prevention devices being tested can cause the price to vary, as some are more complex and larger than others.

To see if your house has a backflow preventer, you might start at the water meter or the place where the main water line enters your home. Backflow preventers are often located at these entry points, if not elsewhere very close to the water line. What you should see is a dome-shaped or cylindrical device that's made mostly of brass or plastic, with a shape and appearance somewhat reminiscent of an old-school wind-up toy. Your plumbing or inspection documentation may also mention a backflow preventer. If not, your best bet for determining whether a backflow preventer is part of your home's plumbing system may be to consult a plumber or your local water utility.

Several factors influence the price of a backflow preventer installation in Greenwood Village, making it a highly variable expense. The main determinants of cost are the installation's complexity, the kind of preventer needed, and, as is often the case, the local labor rates. For what it's worth, a rough average of quotes we obtained puts the price between $300 and $1,000 for a standard residential installation. Of course, if your situation is more involved, or if you happen to be a business owner requiring a system suitable for commercial use, your costs could top $1,000.

In Greenwood Village, to find your backflow preventer, check by the primary water line as it comes into your property. It is typically mounted outside in a meter pit or separate enclosure. If you have an irrigation system, your backflow preventer may be located near where your irrigation system branches off from the main water supply. Look for a large valve with two openings, which may resemble a small, rectangular box. If you can’t locate it, check your building plans or call a local plumber for help.

Usually in Greenwood Village, only certified pros are allowed to do backflow prevention tests. And unless you’re a trained technician, you’re probably best off hiring one. The local laws around these tests can be pretty strict, so you want to make sure that the job is done up to code.

You do not need to be a plumber to test backflow in Greenwood Village. But you do need to be a certified backflow prevention assembly tester. Certification is usually obtained by completing a specialized course and passing an exam. Local regulations and the governing water authority in Greenwood Village dictate the specific certification requirements. These should be checked before proceeding.

Not every house in Greenwood Village has a backflow preventer. Whether or not a house requires a backflow preventer depends on several criteria: local regulations, the plumbing system's age, and certain factors like the installation of irrigation systems or swimming pools that might need added protection against backflow. Homeowners need to determine if their house is part of the group that requires a backflow preventer. If not, then they're not in danger of contamination, and a lot of money can be saved by not installing a backflow preventer that's not needed. If a backflow preventer is required, then it should be installed and should function correctly so that the homeowner isn't in danger of contamination, either through their drinking water or through some other means.

Backflow preventer tests in Greenwood Village generally last between 20 to 30 minutes. The exact timing depends on the system's complexity and which backflow preventer you are testing.

In Greenwood Village, there are potentially serious repercussions for not conducting backflow testing. Local regulations typically mandate annual backflow testing to safeguard the public water supply from contamination. Failure to comply not only opens the door to possibly serious legal repercussions—fines, water service termination, and so forth—but also raises the risk of "cross-connection" contamination of the public water supply.

A backflow preventer, often found in residential settings, is essentially a structured series of check valves used to prevent water that was previously pushed out of the house from flowing back into the house. The device counters what is generally a one-way flow of water from the main water line supply into the house by providing a means to check the direction of flow. You could almost think of it as a plumbing bouncer, which checks to make sure that the water is coming in—which is its only workout, by the way, since it really doesn't do anything until the water stops coming in and then has to go out again.