Call, text, or book
Have your notice handy — it lists your device, account number, and deadline.
★ 4.8 Stars · 8,500+ Google Reviews · Certified Backflow Testers
Backflow Testing in Northern California
Got a backflow test notice from your water department? Earl's Plumbing sends a certified tester, files the results with your water supplier for you, and repairs the device if it fails.
Call or text (530) 343-0330 — we'll get you on the schedule.
Earl's Plumbing provides annual backflow prevention testing by certified testers throughout Northern California, from Shasta County to Placer County, for homes and businesses.
We submit your results to your water supplier, and we repair, rebuild, or replace assemblies that fail, with no service call fee.
Call or text (530) 343-0330 or schedule online.
Paperwork filed for you
Certified testers
RP · DC · PVB · SVB
Repairs & installs
$0 service call fee
CSLB #772565
One call covers it
Test · File · Fix
- Certified tester tests your assembly
- We file the report with your water supplier
- Failed? Free quote to repair or replace it
No service call fee · Homes & businesses
Got a Backflow Test Notice? Here's How It Works
That letter from your water department has a deadline on it. We'll get you tested, filed, and off their list.
Certified tester tests it
We test every check valve and relief valve on the assembly and record the readings.
We file the paperwork
We submit the test report to your water supplier for you. No forms, no portal, no chasing.
Failed? We fix it
Free quote on the repair or rebuild, then we fix it, retest it, and file the passing result.
⏰ Deadline coming up — or already passed?
Under California rules, water suppliers can shut off service until a passing test is on file. Call or text and we'll get you in fast.
What Is Backflow, and Why Test for It?
Water is supposed to flow one way: from the city main into your building. Backflow is when it runs backward — and drags whatever it touched along with it.
Backsiphonage
Pressure drops in the main
A water main break or heavy firefighting demand drops city pressure, and water gets sucked backward out of your plumbing, like a straw.
Backpressure
Your side pushes harder than the city
A pump, boiler, or well system builds more pressure than the supply line, and pushes water back into the public system.
A backflow prevention assembly is a set of spring-loaded check valves that only let water go one way. Those springs and rubber seals wear out over time, which is why California requires a certified tester to check them every year. The test protects your drinking water and your neighbors'.
Who Needs Backflow Testing?
If your water supplier sent you a notice, you do. These are the properties we test most often.
Commercial buildings, offices, and retail
Restaurants, cafes, and food service
Medical, dental, and veterinary offices
Homes with a private well and city water
Buildings with boilers, pumps, or pools
Apartments, HOAs, and managed properties
Managing several properties or devices? We'll test them on one visit and file every report.
Backflow Assemblies We Test, Repair & Install
Your water supplier decides which type your property needs, based on the hazard. We work on all of them.
Reduced Pressure (RP)
Two check valves plus a relief valve. Required for high hazard connections like wells, chemicals, and medical equipment.
Double Check (DC)
Two independent check valves, no relief valve. Allowed only for low hazard connections.
Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB)
Stops backsiphonage only. Common where water can't be pushed back under pressure.
Spill-Resistant (SVB)
A vacuum breaker designed not to spit water when it pressurizes. Also backsiphonage only.
California Backflow Testing Rules, in Plain English
Since July 1, 2024, California's Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook sets the backflow rules every public water system follows. Here's what it means for you:
- Assemblies must be tested at least once a year
- They must also be tested after installation, repair, or relocation
- Only a certified tester can perform the test
- Water suppliers can shut off service to a property that doesn't comply
Source: State Water Resources Control Board. Your water supplier may have additional local requirements.
Why Property Owners Choose Earl's for Backflow Testing
Test, file, fix — one company, one visit when possible.
We handle the paperwork
Your test report goes straight to your water supplier. You get a copy and one less thing on your list.
Certified testers
Every test is performed by a certified backflow tester, as California requires.
We fix what fails
Some testers only test. We're licensed plumbers, so we can also repair, rebuild, or replace a failed assembly.
Homes & businesses
From a single well-and-city-water home to an apartment complex with a dozen devices.
No service call fee
Upfront pricing, and free quotes on any repair or replacement before work starts.
Three local offices
Chico, Redding, and Yuba City testers, covering eight Northern California counties.
The Most Boring Device That Protects Your Drinking Water
I'll admit it: nobody gets excited about a backflow preventer. It's a brass box with some valves that sits by the meter and does nothing — until the day it does. That day, it's the only thing keeping well water, boiler chemicals, or worse from flowing back into the line your neighbors drink from.
That's why the state makes you test it every year. Our job is to make that as painless as possible: send us your notice, we test it, we file it, and if it fails we fix it instead of handing you a fail slip and leaving. (You've got better things to do than learn what a relief valve differential is.)
— Clinton EarlOwner, Earl's Plumbing · Your Friend in the Business
28
Years serving Northern CA
8,500+
Google reviews
$0
Service call fee
3
Local offices
Chico 4.8 ★ · 5,039 reviews
Redding 4.8 ★ · 2,527 reviews
Yuba City 4.8 ★ · 1,002 reviews
Call or Text Your Nearest Earl's Office
Three local offices covering eight Northern California counties. Every line takes calls and texts.
Redding
Redding · Anderson · Cottonwood · Shasta Lake · Palo Cedro · Red Bluff · Corning
(530) 244-3275
Schedule Your Backflow Test Online
Book in about a minute, right here on the page. Have your testing notice handy — it has the info we need.
1Pick your service
2Choose a time that works
3Get a confirmation — done
Rather talk to a person? Call or text (530) 343-0330 — we answer 24/7.
Deadline this week? Skip the scheduler — call or text (530) 343-0330 and we'll get you in fast.
Backflow Testing Questions, Answered
Straight answers for homeowners, business owners, and property managers.
How much does backflow testing cost?
Earl's Plumbing gives you an upfront price for backflow testing before any work begins. Cost depends on the type and number of assemblies on the property and whether any need repair. If a device fails, you get a free quote on the repair before any work starts. There is no service call fee. Call or text (530) 343-0330.
How often does a backflow preventer need to be tested in California?
California requires backflow prevention assemblies to be field tested at least once a year. Under the State Water Board's Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook, in effect since July 1, 2024, assemblies must also be tested after installation, repair, or relocation. Your water supplier usually mails a notice with your deadline, and some high hazard sites may be required to test more often.
Who is allowed to test a backflow device?
Only a certified backflow tester can test a backflow prevention assembly in California. The tester must hold a valid certification from an organization recognized by the State Water Board, and many water suppliers also require testers to be registered with them. Earl's Plumbing uses certified testers at all three of our Northern California offices.
Does Earl's Plumbing submit the test results to my water department?
Earl's Plumbing submits your backflow test results to your water supplier for you, so you do not have to chase paperwork. Just have the notice you received handy when you book. We test the assembly, file the report with your water department, and let you know the results. If the device fails, we explain why and quote the fix.
What happens if my backflow device fails the test?
A failed backflow test usually means a worn check valve, relief valve, or seal, and most failed assemblies can be repaired or rebuilt instead of replaced. I'll be straight with you: we will tell you which one makes sense. Earl's Plumbing quotes the repair for free, fixes the assembly, retests it, and submits the passing results to your water supplier.
What happens if I miss my backflow testing deadline?
Missing your backflow testing deadline can lead your water supplier to take corrective action, which under California rules can include shutting off water service until a passing test is on file. If your deadline is close or already passed, call or text Earl's Plumbing right away. Same-day service is available when a tester is free.
What is the difference between an RP and a double check backflow preventer?
A reduced pressure (RP) assembly has two check valves plus a relief valve that dumps water if pressure goes wrong, so it protects against high hazard cross-connections. A double check (DC) assembly has two check valves without a relief valve and is only allowed for low hazard situations. Your water supplier decides which type your property needs.
Can Earl's Plumbing come out today, and can I text instead of calling?
Earl's Plumbing offers same-day service when a certified tester is available, and calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Every office line also takes texts: Chico (530) 343-0330, Redding (530) 244-3275, or Yuba City (530) 674-0330. Text your name, address, and testing deadline, and the office will get you on the schedule.
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