Why is calibrating your pressure gauge annually important?
Differential pressure gauges are used for the mandatory annual certification of backflow prevention devices. However, many owners fail to check or calibrate their pressure gauges annually, despite the obligation to do so under article 7.2 of CSA standard B64.10.1-17. Calibrating your pressure gauge annually may seem excessive and costly at first glance. However, it is essential to do so for safety and reliability reasons of the device. Omitting calibration will cause loss of accuracy and damage to parts with repeated use.
For you to obtain accurate results during backflow prevention device certification, the pressure indicated on the gauge dial of the manometer must perfectly match the exact pressure on the gauge. Otherwise, it is necessary to calibrate the pressure gauge. If the pressure gauge has a broken or damaged component, it will no longer be waterproof. This which would invalidate the certification of the device.
In addition, an uncalibrated pressure gauge may give erroneous results when testing the backflow preventer on site. This might compromise the entire system’s integrity. Annual calibration in a recognized laboratory helps avoid this situation. However, even if you follow this process every year, the pressure gauge may lose its accuracy or break if it is used very frequently. In this case, a repair followed by a second calibration may be necessary.
To conclude, it is mandatory to check and calibrate your differential pressure gauge at least once a year. By doing so, its reliability is guaranteed during certification of backflow prevention devices. In addition, this routine maintenance not only ensures the optimal performance of the system but also plays a vital role in safeguarding the safety of the drinking water supply. Ultimately, this guarantees the safety of the drinking water system and, therefore, the health of users.
