Repairs

We offer basic repairs for backflow assemblies on irrigation and non-potable lines. To schedule or discuss your needs, please contact us.

Service or Part	Price
Basic rebuild for failing assembly* (includes re-test and reporting)	$150.00 + parts for Febco 850 $175.00 + parts for Wilkins 350 $200 + parts for Watts 007M Series (pricing for other models available upon request)
Minor repairs performed during testing	See Additional Parts and Services
Special-order repairs**	$200/hr plus parts (contact us for estimate)

Basic rebuild information

Basic rebuilds, when performed during a dedicated site visit, include: service call, verification test, up to 45 minutes of repair labor, retest, and written reporting submitted to both you and your water district. Pricing is based on the average time required for repairs on each model, the age of your backflow assembly, and how it's installed. Many small assemblies (especially newer ones) are repairable without the need for additional parts, but we do keep some common ones in stock. We do our best to keep repair costs down, so we'll only replace parts if their condition warrants it, and if we do, a charge for these is added to your repair bill. Parts costs vary by model and repair needs - upon request, we can supply a range of parts costs for your model. If we've recently tested the assembly and know that it meets our basic rebuild criteria (below), we'll often offer repairs as part of the follow-up email that contains your reporting.

* We define basic rebuilds as those performed on backflow assemblies that meet the following criteria:

3/4" or 1" size
Good access and visibility in/around box (please clean out box and trim back vegetation)
Equipment in good external condition: handles, body, and valves all sound and readily operable
Assembly body is no more than 24" below grade
Check valve covers face straight up and are readily removable without special tools or excessive force
Ample clear space below the assembly to prevent contamination of the work area
Good clearances around the parts we'll be interacting with
Repairable without special-order parts
We have performed a recent test on the assembly

Special-order repairs

**If your repair does not meet the above criteria for basic rebuilds, or if something other than a rebuild is indicated, please contact us to discuss availability and pricing for special-order repairs. We consider these to be any repairs that don't fall into our basic rebuild category, as defined above. Special-order repairs are billed at $200/hour (with a one-hour minimum per service call) plus parts, and we take them on if/as our schedule allows. The initial verification test is included in the repair time, but final retesting and reporting is an additional charge. For assemblies we haven't personally tested recently, we'll need to gather some extra information from you before deciding whether and how to proceed. If we're able to offer special repairs for your installation, we'll email over an itemized estimate for your review and approval before ordering parts and scheduling a service call.

Not all installations are good candidates for repairs: tight clearances, corroded equipment, seized parts, poorly-oriented check valve covers, lead-weighted check valves, and discontinued assemblies are examples of factors which may prevent safe, effective repair. In these cases, we may recommend replacement over repair due to the age or condition of the equipment, or the nature of the installation.

Please note: we're not currently equipped for major repairs such as assembly replacement, but we can often provide referrals .

Allowable repairs

Our licensing allows us to offer internal backflow repairs only on irrigation lines and dedicated non-potable lines. A dedicated non-potable line means there are no known or anticipated potable uses downstream of the city point of connection. Examples might include a dedicated fire line, or a washdown station served by a dedicated city meter. If the assembly is not on an irrigation system and not on a dedicated, non-potable city connection, our licensing unfortunately does not allow us to perform repairs on it - this includes assemblies isolating a main service line to a home or business, or non-irrigation equipment that tees off of that line, like boilers, ice machines, or soda machines. For these types of repairs, a licensed plumber is the only contractor who can legally perform repairs. If you're hiring us for repairs, you represent that the assembly in question is on an irrigation line or a dedicated non-potable line as described above. If we have reason to believe that this is not the case, we may decline repairs.