PVB Testing in Whittemore, IA
The pressure vacuum breaker, or PVB, is the brass device sticking out of the ground near your sprinkler system with a bonnet on top and two small test cocks. It is the most common backflow preventer on residential irrigation.
A PVB test checks two things. The air inlet has to open when pressure in the body drops to about 1.0 psi. The check valve has to hold at least 1.0 psid in the direction of flow.
The usual failures are a cracked bonnet from a freeze, a stuck poppet, or a check that leaks because the rubber has gone hard after years in the sun. Water spitting out from under the canopy when the system starts is a sign the poppet is not seating.
A PVB must sit at least 12 inches above the highest sprinkler head it serves. If yours is lower, it may not pass inspection even with good readings.
Grizzly Backflow & Plumbing connects Whittemore, IA homeowners with testers for PVB testing and backflow prevention repairs. Call (833) 990-5874.
