Had a bit of a scare last month when my neighbor mentioned some issues with their water tasting funny. Got me thinking about backflow and how I hadn't really checked mine in ages. Did some digging online and figured I'd share what I learned, just in case anyone else is wondering.
First thing I did was shut off the main water valve—pretty obvious, but yeah, don't skip this step unless you want an indoor pool. Next, located the backflow preventer (mine was outside near the hose bib). Hooked up a pressure gauge to the test cock valves (had to buy one of these gauges online, wasn't too pricey). Opened the valves one by one to check pressure levels, making sure they held steady and didn't drop suddenly. Everything seemed okay, but I cleaned out some debris anyway just to be safe.
Honestly, wasn't as complicated as I thought it'd be, but I'm no expert. Maybe someone here knows a better way or has some tips to make this easier next time around?
Sounds like you did a pretty thorough check—good thinking on cleaning out the debris too, that's often overlooked. One thing I'd add, just from experience, is to keep an eye on the seals around the valves. They can wear out or crack over time, especially outdoors. Might save you a headache later on if you catch it early... But yeah, nice job tackling this yourself; it's really not rocket science once you've done it once or twice.
"keep an eye on the seals around the valves. They can wear out or crack over time, especially outdoors."
Good tip—those seals can sneak up on you. Did you happen to check if your outdoor valves have covers or insulation? Might save you from dealing with cracked seals after winter... learned that one the hard way.
Valve covers help, but honestly, insulation isn't always enough if temps drop really low. I've seen seals crack even with decent insulation. Best bet is regular checks, especially after harsh winters... saves headaches later.
