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When your backflow assembly fails its annual test, leaks, or needs to be installed for a new irrigation or commercial water service, we repair, rebuild, replace, or install it. After the work, the assembly must pass a test by a certified backflow tester before the results go to your water utility, and your utility notice tells you the deadline.
A backflow preventer is a mechanical assembly bolted into your water service line that only lets water flow one direction — into your property — and closes automatically if the pressure in the street main ever drops and tries to pull water back the other way. Florida water utilities require most irrigation connections and commercial water services to have one, and require that assembly to be tested every year by a certified tester. When that annual test fails, or when the assembly starts leaking or will not hold pressure between tests, that is when you need backflow repair.
The two assembly types you will see in South Florida are a reduced pressure zone assembly (often called an RPZ) and a double check assembly. Both use internal check valves and springs to seal against reverse flow. An RPZ adds a relief valve that dumps water to a drain if a check ever fails, which is why utilities require RPZs on higher-hazard connections like irrigation. The repair work is the same in principle: open the assembly, find the worn seat or fouled spring, and rebuild or replace that component. After the work, the assembly must pass a test by a certified backflow tester before the results go to your water utility.
A failed annual test is the most common reason we are called, but it is not the only one. An assembly that chatters, weeps water from the relief port, or shows visible mineral buildup at the test cocks is failing even if it scraped by last year. An assembly that cannot be rebuilt — because the body is corroded, the internal parts are discontinued, or a rebuild still will not hold — gets replaced. And when a property adds a new irrigation meter or a new commercial water service, the utility requires a backflow assembly installed before the meter is turned on. We install the assembly; after the install it must pass a test by a certified backflow tester, who files the results with the utility. We do not work on fire lines or fire sprinkler systems.
The clock is already running. Most utilities give the property owner a short window — often about 30 days — to repair or replace the assembly and then have a certified backflow tester pass it and file the results before they escalate to a violation or a service interruption. Call us at (754) 258-5599 with the notice in hand; we will schedule the repair and rebuild or replace the assembly. After the work, the assembly must pass a test by a certified backflow tester, who files the results with the utility so the notice closes. Do not wait for the second notice.
These are the signs that a backflow assembly needs repair or replacement — and the notices that mean the utility is already counting down.
Every backflow repair or installation runs through the same sequence, because the order is what gets the assembly ready for the certified test and your utility's deadline.
Step 1
We coordinate the brief water interruption with you, close the shut-offs on either side of the assembly, and bleed the pressure down so the internal parts can be opened safely. Most repairs take less water downtime than the annual test itself.
Step 2
We disassemble the check valves and relief valve, inspect the seats, springs, and seals, and read the test results from the failed report. The failed-test notice usually tells us which check let go, and we confirm it on the bench before replacing parts.
Step 3
If the body is sound, we rebuild it with new internal components, seats, and springs. If the body is corroded, the parts are discontinued, or a rebuilt assembly still will not hold, we replace the assembly with a same-size unit rated for your connection.
Step 4
After the repair, rebuild, replacement, or install is done, the assembly must pass a test by a certified backflow tester before the results go to your water utility. We do not perform that certified test or file the results — your utility notice tells you the deadline to have it done.
For the mechanical work we use assembly-specific rebuild kits with replacement seats, springs, seals, and O-rings sized to your assembly, plus pipe wrenches, spanner wrenches for the bonnets, and isolation valves to keep the work area dry. On a new install we set the assembly on a proper pad or bracket, install the shut-off valves and test cocks, add a relief-port drain where the assembly requires one, and mount an enclosure. No brand names are pushed — we use the components that fit your assembly and your utility's spec. The certified test itself is performed by a certified backflow tester after our work is complete.
Job photo: a reduced pressure zone backflow assembly opened for a rebuild, with the internal check valves, springs, and seals laid out beside the body
Job photo: a newly installed backflow assembly on an irrigation service with shut-off valves, an enclosure, and a relief-port drain
We quote before we start. These are the factors that actually move the number up or down on a backflow repair or installation, so nothing on the estimate comes as a surprise.
Repair vs. replace
A rebuild with new seals and springs is a smaller job than replacing the entire assembly. We quote the rebuild first and only recommend replacement when the body or the parts make a rebuild uneconomical or unsafe.
Assembly type and size
A reduced pressure zone assembly has more internal parts and a relief valve, so its rebuild is more involved than a double check. Larger assemblies for commercial services take more time and larger replacement components.
Accessibility
An assembly in an above-ground enclosure with clearance around it is quick to reach. One buried in a vault, boxed in by landscaping, or mounted tight against a wall takes longer to access, and that time is part of the quote.
Permitting
Some utilities require a permit for a new installation or a replacement assembly, and we account for that permit in the estimate so there are no add-on fees. The passing test itself and the filing of its results are handled by a certified backflow tester.
New install scope
A brand-new assembly for an irrigation meter or commercial service may need a concrete pad, an enclosure, shut-off valves, and a drain for the relief port. That scope is separate from a repair and is quoted up front.
After-hours response
A scheduled repair during business hours is one thing; a same-day call to beat a utility deadline after hours is another. We tell you before we start if after-hours dispatch applies to your situation.
We are a licensed, insured, locally based plumbing contractor — not a referral service dispatching the nearest truck.
Call and we will schedule the repair, rebuild, or replacement before your deadline runs out.
We are based in Davie, FL, and repair, rebuild, and install backflow assemblies across Broward County and into Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County. If you are in one of these cities, we cover you.
Call us with the notice in hand. Most utilities give you a short window, often about 30 days, to repair or replace the assembly and then have a certified backflow tester pass it and file the results before the notice escalates. We repair, rebuild, or replace the assembly so it can pass that test. The certified tester — not us — performs the test and files the passing results with your utility. Do not wait for the second notice.
Yes. An overdue test is treated the same as a failed one by the utility — the assembly needs a passing test by a certified backflow tester on file. We repair, rebuild, or replace the assembly so it can pass that test, but the certified test and the filing of its results are done by a certified backflow tester. If the utility has already sent a violation or threatened a service interruption, tell us when you call so we can prioritize the visit.
Both use internal check valves to block reverse flow. A reduced pressure zone assembly adds a relief valve that dumps water to a drain if a check ever fails, which is why utilities require it on higher-hazard connections like irrigation. A double check assembly has two check valves in a row and is used on lower-hazard services. We repair, rebuild, and install both types.
Yes. We install new backflow assemblies for irrigation systems and commercial water services, including the shut-off valves, an enclosure, and a drain for the relief port where one is required. After the install, the assembly must pass a test by a certified backflow tester, who files the results with the utility so the meter can be activated.
After the repair, rebuild, replacement, or installation is done, the assembly must pass a test by a certified backflow tester before the results go to your water utility. We do not perform that certified test or file the results — a certified backflow tester does. Your utility notice tells you the deadline to have the test completed.
These are the services that pair most often with backflow repair and installation.
Call now, or book online and we will schedule the repair, rebuild, or replacement.