Free checklist
Backflow prevention assembly annual maintenance checklist
The annual backflow preventer service is the deep pass — the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against the local water authority requirements, ASSE guidance — confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 7
- Photos required
- 8
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
A certified backflow tester, often a specialty subcontractor rather than the general service tech.
When in the schedule
Once a year, timed to meet the water authority's required test window for the assembly's certification.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as-is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Certified test
- 2 photos
Check valves tested for tightness with a calibrated test kit
Each check holds the required differential without leaking through, reading recorded on the test form.
- 1 photo
Relief valve tested for opening and reseating
Relief valve opens at the correct differential and closes fully afterward with no continued drip.
- 1 photo
Test gauge calibration verified before testing
Gauge calibration sticker current and within the required interval before the test is trusted.
Shutoff and physical condition
- 1 photo
Shutoff valves exercised full stroke and checked for tight shutoff
Valve closes fully with no bypass flow, then reopens fully without sticking.
- 1 photo
Assembly body and fittings inspected for corrosion or damage
No pitting, cracking or previous repair points showing signs of failure.
Closeout
- 1 photo
Test results recorded on the required report form
Form filled out completely with readings, dates, tester certification number and assembly identification.
- 1 photo
Report filed with the water authority and copy retained on site
Submission confirmed (not just mailed), and a copy kept with the building's mechanical records.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Test performed but the report never actually submitted to the water authority, leaving the certification lapsed.
- Relief valve tested for opening but not confirmed to reseat and stop dripping afterward.
- Gauge used for the test out of calibration, invalidating the result even though it passed.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 8 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this backflow prevention assembly annual checklist cover?
- 7 items across 3 sections — certified test, shutoff and physical condition, closeout. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- A certified backflow tester, often a specialty subcontractor rather than the general service tech.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, timed to meet the water authority's required test window for the assembly's certification.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 8 of the 7 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a backflow prevention assembly annual inspection?
- Test performed but the report never actually submitted to the water authority, leaving the certification lapsed. Relief valve tested for opening but not confirmed to reseat and stop dripping afterward. Gauge used for the test out of calibration, invalidating the result even though it passed.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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