Backflow Testing in Burtonsville, MD

What happens when you call

The call reaches an independent plumber who covers Burtonsville and eastern Montgomery County. Plumber Washington DC Pros is a free referral service; the plumber you speak with handles the quote, the visit and the paperwork. It helps to know whether the device is on a sprinkler system, a fire sprinkler riser or both, and whether it is leaking. Ask the plumber to confirm they are registered with WSSC and hold a cross-connection technician certification before you book.

Cost factors

• Result of the test. A pass ends the visit; a failure leads to parts and a retest.
• Number of devices. A home with both irrigation and a fire line has two assemblies to test.
• Five-year items. If a dual check is due for its rebuild or replacement, that adds parts.
• Location. A device behind decking or inside a tight utility room takes longer.
• Replacement. A new assembly involves a WSSC plumbing permit.

Burtonsville conditions

WSSC Water supplies water and sewer here. Its cross-connection program puts testable assemblies, from irrigation pressure vacuum breakers and RPZs to residential fire sprinkler double checks, on a once-a-year test, and adds a test after installation or repair. Non-testable dual check valves should be rebuilt or replaced every five years. Montgomery County gives each property a water and sewer category, so check your bill if you are near the edge of public service.

The median Burtonsville home dates to about 1985, which means many sprinkler devices installed with the original landscaping have been through a few decades of winters. Under WSSC's rules, the owner is responsible for the water service line from the property line into the house, and the backflow devices on the owner's plumbing are the owner's to maintain as well.

If you commute from the Burtonsville Park and Ride and can't be home, a device outside the house can often be tested without anyone inside, as long as the plumber knows where the irrigation shutoff is and can reach it.

Short checklist before the visit

• Show the plumber the irrigation shutoff and the main shutoff
• Have any WSSC letter and prior report handy
• Unlock gates and move anything stacked near the device
• Ask that a copy of the report be sent to you