# Backflow testing



## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

I do it in my spare time. How many others do CCDI work on here?
How many valves ya got? I'm testing about 200 as of now annually. 
I think there is quite a niche to be filled in the future. 
I know a few guys that shut down the plumbing shop just to test and repair valves. It's pretty darned easy work.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

I am able to install them here, but my license wont let me test them. I need to go get my back flow license. I watched it being done, seems easy.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

When they pass, it doesn't get much easier. Tearing down a 12" RPZ gets to be a pain in the butt. 

I took a 3 day class for my cert. IL # 2761


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## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

When I was in tampa we did a lot of testing but let it go because the business was whored out.Guys testing for 25.00 per valve ,10 years ago.You can't compete with that unless you're are getting a lot of rebulds.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

threaderman said:


> When I was in tampa we did a lot of testing but let it go because the business was whored out.Guys testing for 25.00 per valve ,10 years ago.You can't compete with that unless you're are getting a lot of rebulds.



Were they licensed? If so, then why were they cutting each others throats like that for?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

We sub it out to a friend of mine that quit plumbing to test backflow preventers, I'm not going to take the time off work and lose three days pay on top of paying the fee to get certified, we might install four of them a year.


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## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

USP45 said:


> Were they licensed? If so, then why were they cutting each others throats like that for?


 It seemed to be the magic number.The city of Tampa actually had a list of all of us that were certified that they supplied to businesses ,with each persons price to test listed too,beleive or not.I think many were low lifes who got their foot in the door and then got as much money out of the people as possible.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

threaderman said:


> It seemed to be the magic number.The city of Tampa actually had a list of all of us that were certified that they supplied to businesses ,with each persons price to test listed too,beleive or not.I think many were low lifes who got their foot in the door and then got as much money out of the people as possible.


Typical. Then when things cost more they want to cry about getting more money!


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Killertoiletspider said:


> We sub it out to a friend of mine that quit plumbing to test backflow preventers, I'm not going to take the time off work and lose three days pay on top of paying the fee to get certified, we might install four of them a year.


I prolly set 25 last year. We set a lot for sprinkler fitters. As that is our work. Three days pay is worth it if you do very many. I mostly only test what I install and charge WAY more than $25. Test the first dozen valves and get your 3 days pay back. 

The ones I do test that were previously installed are usually not code compliant. So I get that work for a couple of the guys too. Valve testing has got my foot in the door for a lot of other large scale work.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

threaderman said:


> It seemed to be the magic number.The city of Tampa actually had a list of all of us that were certified that they supplied to businesses ,with each persons price to test listed too,beleive or not.I think many were low lifes who got their foot in the door and then got as much money out of the people as possible.


I was in Clearwater beach a few months ago. The city tests the valves there. I watched em do one. They tested it while it was under flow:no:


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

ILPlumber said:


> I prolly set 25 last year. We set a lot for sprinkler fitters. As that is our work. Three days pay is worth it if you do very many. I mostly only test what I install and charge WAY more than $25. Test the first dozen valves and get your 3 days pay back.
> 
> The ones I do test that were previously installed are usually not code compliant. So I get that work for a couple of the guys too. Valve testing has got my foot in the door for a lot of other large scale work.


I'd give it a lot more thought if we did service work, but we don't, the bulk of our work is renovating multi million dollar co-ops and condos, and the vast majority of the backflow preventers we install are on residential steam generators.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Other than CCDI work. I do zero service. zero residential. I plumbed a house in 2003. It was my own. 

Commercial steam boilers are one of my favorite jobs. It nice to see all those pipes look so nice when we're done. Makes me warm fuzzy


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## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

ILPlumber said:


> I was in Clearwater beach a few months ago. The city tests the valves there. I watched em do one. They tested it while it was under flow:no:


 I never tested back-flows in Pinellas county,only Hillsborough county.What were you doing in Clearwater,vacation?


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

threaderman said:


> I never tested back-flows in Pinellas county,only Hillsborough county.What were you doing in Clearwater,vacation?


Yup. Went down there and sat on my A$$ for a week. I'll go back. Very relaxing , not too touristy.


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## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

It's beautiful along the beaches,but darn crowded huh.I think Sanibel island,further south, is less crowded with snow white beaches ,really nice.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

threaderman said:


> It's beautiful along the beaches,but darn crowded huh.I think Sanibel island,further south, is less crowded with snow white beaches ,really nice.


Been there also. I think I liked clearwater better. Without the daughter, Key west takes the cake.


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## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

You are aboslutely correct,I honey-mooned on Sanibel island.See,I'm looking out for you!


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I have the Illinois CCDI#XC3720. I test and rebuild a lot of backflow devices. Most of our work is industrial service, remodels and new construction. I also have a school district I take care of that has about 42 backflow devices. My CCDI class was 4 days long, at 501 in Glendale Hts.


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## jeffc (Jul 8, 2008)

I have been ceertified for about 6 yrs (WA BAT B-4080 anf ID BAT-16135). I do installs, testing, repllacements, and rebuilds. I took the class and got the card to augment my service work. It sure came in handy when everyone else was sitting around , I'd be out testing. the testers that test with volume don't charge as much as the service side, but then sometimes they can't do repairs or installs. It definitly leads to other work in a lot of cases.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

^^^ True. I agree with you both up there. If nothing else it is easy supplemental income. By the way XC2761. It coulda been four days as opposed to three. It's been a while. My pops is 0395. He was in the first group in 1987 when all this CCDI shtuff was gonna really be the thing of the future for plumbers:no:


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

backflow testing is a huge, untapped market for most plumbers. We have city contracts for three local municipalities and I tell you it's some of the easiest money there is. Not only do we get paid to test but since a good percentage of them fail we get to do the repair also. It's an amazing revenue generator but don't tell everyone.


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