Backflow Installation & Replacement
New installs, like-for-like replacements, device-class upgrades, and custom theft-resistant cages. Every job includes the commissioning test and district filing.
- Commissioning test included
- District filing included
- Custom theft-resistant cages available
Real install and replacement work: residential PVB / DCVA, commercial RP, and custom theft-resistant cages across California.
What we install and replace
Every service connection in California has to carry backflow protection commensurate with the hazard on the premise. We install the right class of assembly the first time, using USC FCCCHR-approved devices and the unions, drains, and support required by the local plumbing code and the water purveyor.
Common jobs: first-time installation on a new irrigation meter, replacing an aging or failed device that did not pass the annual test, upgrading a non-testable legacy device to a modern testable assembly, and retrofitting a protective cage around a commercial or exposed residential assembly to prevent theft and tampering.
Devices we install
ASSE 1013
Reduced Pressure Assembly (RPA / RPZ)
High-hazard applications: chemigation, boiler feed, industrial process water, hospital systems, cooling-tower make-up, fire lines with chemical additives.
ASSE 1015
Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA)
Low-hazard commercial irrigation, residential fire lines, HOA landscape meters. The workhorse of residential and small-commercial protection.
ASSE 1020
Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB)
Above-ground irrigation protection. Very common on residential and small-acreage irrigation services.
ASSE 1056
Spill-Resistant Vacuum Breaker (SVB)
Modern PVB variant with reduced nuisance spill. Standard retrofit choice when a legacy PVB reaches end of life.
What’s included
- ✓Code-compliant assembly installed with proper isolation
- ✓Commissioning field test on-site
- ✓District-specific paperwork filed for you
- ✓Copy of the certified test report form emailed with the invoice
- ✓Annual reminder ahead of next year's deadline
How it works
- 1
On-site walk-through
We confirm the hazard class, size the assembly, verify code clearances, and identify any permit or district-approval requirements.
- 2
Written quote
You get a written quote for the full job — device, cage option (if any), commissioning test, and filing all included. No surprise add-ons on invoice day.
- 3
Install or replace
We shut off water, remove the old assembly (for replacement), install the new unit with proper unions and drainage, and pressure-check the line.
- 4
Commissioning test
Once the line is re-pressurized, we run the certified test procedure, record gauge readings, and prepare the certified test report form.
- 5
File and hand off
We submit the certified test report form to your water district within 24 hours, email you the report and invoice, and set an annual reminder.
Theft-resistant cages
Brass theft is a chronic problem on California commercial irrigation and fire-line assemblies, especially in exposed rear lots, alleys, and industrial peripheries. A stolen RP assembly puts you out of compliance the same day it walks away.
We fabricate and install locked steel cages sized to your device, with anchor-bolt mounting to a concrete pad or wall. For most commercial RP installations they pay for themselves after one prevented theft.
California and federal compliance context
“The Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH) took effect July 1, 2024.”
Installation requirements flow from the California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5), the CCCPH, CA H&S Code § 116800, and USC FCCCHR device-approval standards. Every new or replacement assembly requires a passing commissioning test on file before service is approved.
Frequently asked questions
When should I replace instead of repair?
Replace if the device is more than 20 years old, has obsolete parts, has failed repeatedly, or is leaded (pre-2014). The Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook imposes deadlines for replacing certain legacy fire-service assemblies with testable devices. We flag replacement candidates during the annual test and quote both options.
Do you install custom theft-resistant cages?
Yes. Backflow assembly theft (scrap brass value) is a persistent problem in California. We fabricate and install locked steel cages over vulnerable commercial and residential assemblies, coordinated with your landscape or property plan.
Does the new device need a first test?
Yes. Every newly installed or relocated assembly must pass a commissioning test before water service is approved, and the passing test must be filed with your water district. We include the commissioning test and report filing in every install.
Can you upgrade from a non-testable device to a testable one?
Yes, and in many cases you'll be required to. Under CCCPH, non-testable legacy protection (atmospheric vacuum breakers, check valves used as protection, etc.) must be upgraded to a testable assembly at the premise. We plan the upgrade, pull any required permit, install the new device, and file the first test.
What brands do you install?
Watts, Febco, Wilkins / Zurn, Apollo, and Ames — all USC FCCCHR approved. We match manufacturer to application: Watts and Febco are our default for large RP on commercial fire and process water; Wilkins and Apollo are common on residential irrigation and small commercial.
Do you handle permitting and water-district coordination?
Yes. We pull the required plumbing permit (where applicable), coordinate with the water district on device-class approval, schedule the commissioning test, and file the certified test report form. You do not need to chase anyone.
Need a new install, a replacement, or a theft-resistant cage? Get a walk-through quote this week.
Mon – Sat, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Emergency response available.