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Backflow preventors provide safety by keeping a hot or chilled water loop seperated and preventing the water from these loops from getting back to the domestic water source. Read more below.
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Backflow preventors provide safety by keeping a hot or chilled water loop seperated and preventing the water from these loops from getting back to the domestic water source. There have been actual documented cases where the water from a chilled water or hot water boiler loop made its way back into the domestic water source because the system was not equipped with a backflow preventer and people were made ill.
This is the reason why it has been put in the Mechanical and Plumbing codes to have backflow preventers installed. Most boiler loops and chilled water loops have a lower pressure that the domestic supply for the make-up water. Cases have happened when the water main broke, the make-up feed didn't have a backflow preventor, and the boiler or chilled water made its way to the domestic water supply. Once the pressure was restored the contaminated water was supplied to the domestic water service and people got sick. Backflow preventors prevent this from happening and keep the domestic water supply safe for everyone.
