Amateur plumbing issue... Check valve>isolation valve?

[physeptone]

OK, so at the end of last week i decided to change the bath taps (something i have been meaning to do for ages).
Being a rank amateur, i tried to 'turn off the isolator valve' resulting in the screw breaking off and a small leak developing..... No problem i thought, i'll just fit a couple of new ones.
So down to Screwfix i go, two new isolator valves fixed on, taps all fitted. nice.

I've been ill over the weekend so left the clearing up till tonight.
I now realise that what i replaced is a check valve (i thought it was some cheap s*** isolation valve...).

My question is, what should i do now? Do i need to re-replace them with double check valves (as removed) or can the system live without them? I understand what check valves do, so is there a risk (other than cold water coming out of the mixer shower) caused by back flow into the hot system?

Post your helpful answers below, and please, keep your laughter at my mistake to a minimum....

 

[xr4x4]

check valves are to stop the possibly of contaminated water being syphoned back into the water supply.

iirc its only required on outside taps, showers where the head could be left in dirty water.. ie shower mixer taps on a bath.

 

[physeptone]

But do i need to swap them out?

 

[xr4x4]

But do i need to swap them out?

you tell me....? do you have a shower on your bath taps?

 

[physeptone]

sorry, thought i said that- yes it has a mixer tap, so i guess that water can go (say) from the cold system back up the hot pipe if the water pressure is that different i assume?

 

[xr4x4]

sorry, thought i said that- yes it has a mixer tap, so i guess that water can go (say) from the cold system back up the hot pipe if the water pressure is that different i assume?

yes in theory... i wouldnt worry about it imo.

 

[physeptone]

good, good, thats starting to sound like what i want to hear

now, the only other thing is, would it make the shower any colder (ie by cold water going down the hot pipe)? Its the missus shower you see and she will kill me if she gets cold.......

 

[xr4x4]

as long as the hot and cold stay under some pressure.. no.

the only way i can see is if one or the other pipes where empty of water and you forced it by holding your hand over the head/tap.

im pretty sure there are millions of taps installed like yours.

some new taps have one way valves in the tails for this reason.

 

[physeptone]

ok cheers

i actually bought tails with 'isolation valves' in them in the end so i have two such valves close to each other, hence i wasnt too worried at losing the isolation valves if i had to swap them out.

The extra expenditure and effort to redo everything would be a different matter! Especially when i also have a very large lizard (asian water monitor) who misses his daily baths if i dont have water available for the bath!

Thanks for the help