Backflow Prevention Testing
The compliance item buildings forget about until a notice arrives, and one of the easiest to stay ahead of.
A backflow prevention assembly stops water reversing direction and drawing contaminants back into the public supply. Properties with irrigation, boilers, cooling equipment, fire lines, or certain commercial equipment typically have one or more, and testing them periodically by a certified tester is generally required with results filed.
Two things worth being direct about. This work requires a specific backflow tester certification on top of plumbing licensure, and it is entirely reasonable to ask any provider — including us — to confirm current certification before booking. And the requirements, deadlines, and filing procedures are set by the water authority, not by us. We test, repair, and prepare the paperwork; confirm your specific obligations with them, because these do change.
In practice most devices that fail do so on worn internal components — rubber seats, springs, check assemblies — and can be rebuilt rather than replaced. A failure is usually a repair, not a capital expense.
When this is likely your problem
What's included — and what isn't
Included in the quote
- Testing of each device by a certified tester
- Completed test report prepared for filing
- Rebuild or repair of a failed device where serviceable
- Replacement where a device cannot be rebuilt
- Re-test after repair to confirm a pass
- A schedule of your devices and when each is next due
Quoted separately
- Authority filing fees, permit fees, and any late penalties
- The replacement device itself where a rebuild is not possible
- Freeze damage repair to exposed devices
- Enclosures, insulation, and protective cages
- Irrigation or fire system work beyond the device
- Representing you in any enforcement matter
What drives the number
We quote after diagnosis, not before. These move the number most:
- DEVICESHow many on the property, and their size and type.
- ACCESSWhether devices are reachable or in confined spaces.
- CONDITIONWhether testing is likely to become a rebuild on older assemblies.
- VOLUMEMultiple devices at one property price better per unit.
Houston note
In Texas, backflow assembly testing is governed by state and local water authority requirements, and testers must hold a current certification. Ask us for ours when you book, and confirm your property's testing deadline with the City of Houston rather than relying on any contractor's summary, including ours.
Related
What the visit involves
Inventory the devices
Properties routinely have more than anyone on site knows about. We find them all first.
Test and document
A certified tester runs each device and prepares the report.
Rebuild what fails
Most failures are internal components. You get the price before we proceed.
Re-test and hand over
Confirmed pass, documentation provided, and the next-due schedule.
Questions about this service
How often does testing need doing?
Annually is the common requirement for most devices, though specifics depend on the device type and the authority. Because these rules change, confirm your exact obligation and deadline with the water authority — we test and file, but we are not the authority on what your property must do.
Who is allowed to test?
Someone holding a current backflow tester certification, using calibrated equipment. Standard plumbing licensure alone does not cover it. It is a reasonable question to ask any provider before booking, and we would rather you asked.
What happens if a device fails?
Most failures are worn internal components and the device can be rebuilt. We quote the rebuild, do the work, and re-test to confirm a pass — you are not paying twice to prove the repair worked.
Why is water running constantly from our device?
Continuous discharge from the relief valve usually means it has failed internally and is doing what it is designed to do. It needs testing and almost certainly a rebuild, and it is wasting water continuously in the meantime.
Ready to get this looked at?
Call and describe what's happening. You'll get an honest read before anyone drives out.