Rain One is fully staffed to meet and exceed all of your irrigation needs.  One of the state mandated requirements of having an irrigation system is protecting the potable water supply with an approved and testable backflow preventer.  This requirement is listed under the Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Commerce.  This backflow preventer must be tested every year.

The State of Ohio requires Backflow Technicians to be properly trained for testing, repairing and maintaining backflow devices.  The technicians must hold an Ohio Plumbing License, or have a minimum of five years working for a licensed plumbing company to apply for the backflow amendment to their plumbing license.  These technicians attend a training class for initial certification, and must complete continuing education credit hours to maintain their license.  Rain One has a licensed and certified plumber and backflow technician on staff.  We do not subcontract our backflow testing to a third party.  This allows for very rapid response time, and a single company for all your irrigation needs.

What is a Backflow Device?

In general, backflow devices are used to protect the water supply from any potential contamination.  These uses include, but are not limited to boilers, irrigation systems, complete buildings, soda carbonators, ice machines, fire protection, etc.

A backflow device for an irrigation system prevents the reverse flow of contaminated water from the sprinklers back into the city water supply.  Lawns and landscapes contain fertilizers, chemicals, bacteria, dirt, fungus, and multiple other hazards that could leach into an irrigation head, and be drawn back into the drinking water supply if the source were not properly backflow protected.  There are two types of devices that satisfy the Ohio Plumbing Code for irrigation systems.  These are the ASSE 1020 Pressure Vacuum Breaker, and the ASSE 1013 Reduced Pressure Assembly.

What do they look like?

There are quite a few makes and models of Backflow Prevention devices, but they all must operate on the same standardized principle.  These pictures are good generalized representations of what your backflow device will look like.

Do I have to be home for you to test it?

You do not if the water has already been turned on to the backflow for the season, and if the backflow device is located outside of your house or building.  The vast majority of residential backflow devices are installed outside.  Occasionally an RPA device will be located in the basement, in which case access will be required to do the test.  Your device must be tested once a year, right around the time it was initially installed. The water department mails out a reminder 30 days in advance of the due date.  If you ignore their reminders, they will turn your water off after a final 15 day notice.  Please call before it gets to that point.