Why use anti siphon valve

People use anti-siphon taps for outdoor plumbing, utility sinks, and mainly where a hose is attached to supply water outside of a home. Continue reading for more information on anti-siphon faucets and how we use them. Anti-siphon faucets prevent unsanitary water from being sucked into the potable water supply used for drinking, bathing, and cooking indoors. Federal housing codes require anti-siphoning devices, so most homes come equipped.

Plumbing codes require that a functioning anti-siphon faucet or device must cover all hose bib connections. A hose bib is a small faucet or spigot outside, usually where people connect a garden hose. There are two types of anti-siphon mechanisms: the faucet and the valve. The taps come equipped with a device that only lets the water flow one way. This design prevents contamination because the lowered water pressure in the pipes could suck dirty water back in. The add-on or anti-siphon valve is an attachment for an outdoor faucet.

Both meet necessary plumbing codes and function the same. To adequately meet water safety standards, the anti-siphon valve needs to be installed correctly. Here is how to install an anti-siphon valve:. Now, a backflow preventer operational principle is rather basic- water enters through one way and it shuts when building pressure tries to force the liquid back through. For clarity purposes, I must mention that backpressure conditions arise when higher pressures -than within the supply- occur in the downstream pipes, causing the highly pressurized downstream water to flow into the water source.

To offer maximum protection, backflow preventers are installed at cross connections points where potable water systems join non-potable water systems in the plumbing as there is more risk of poisoned fluids entering the pipes supplying drinking water here. To get the hang of how these types of valves function, think of a fuel tank installed above a gas station.

Naturally, fuel will constantly be flowing through the piping going to the dispensing pump stands at a lower position thanks to the gravitational force. Generally speaking, anti-siphon valves — they can be manual or automatic with built-in atmospheric vacuum breakers — play almost the same role when deployed in water systems.

Once mounted, both devices stop toxic water from the pipes from getting into clean water supply systems when pressure decreases or is completely lost. First, you must purchase the right model of anti siphon valve some of the cheaper brands tend to disappoint. Strongway garden hose reel cart reviews. On the other hand, a backflow preventer tends to provide an indomitable line of defense for backflow problems in the following circumstances:.

Your first line of defense when it comes to protecting potable water sources from contamination is either anti siphon valves or a suitable backflow preventer. Overall, because of economic reasons and simplicity of application, an anti-siphon valve is the weapon of choice for residential irrigation systems. Most building codes now require anti-siphon valve in several different places in a house, including all external hose connections and sometimes in toilet fill valves.

First, let's define a siphon. A siphon is any pipe, hose or tube that is used to move a liquid from a higher location to a lower location. To use a siphon, you fill the pipe or hose with the liquid and stick one end of the pipe in the liquid at the higher location.

Then you let the liquid start draining at the lower location. As the liquid drains out of the pipe at the lower location, a vacuum develops that sucks the water from the higher location. Gravity and suction do all the work, so no pump is required! You can use siphons to drain ponds, empty barrels, remove gasoline from a gas tank, etc. Here's the problem anti-siphon valves solve: Let's say you take your garden hose and you stick it in the gallon aquarium you have in your upstairs bedroom to fill the aquarium.

When you turn on the water, you fill the hose with water. As the aquarium fills, the end of the hose inside the aquarium gets covered with water. If the water pressure fails for example, because you live in a rural area with a private well and the power goes out, or in the city because someone opens a fire hydrant and significantly lowers the water pressure on your block , what will happen is that the water in the aquarium will siphon back through the hose into the water system.