Backflow testing and TMV servicing on the Central Coast
Call 0476 000 533
Yearly backflow and TMV testing for strata and commercial buildings
ZC Plumbing tests backflow prevention devices and services thermostatic mixing valves for strata buildings, commercial premises and retirement villages across the Central Coast, under licence 386374C. A backflow test is $300 plus GST for the first device and $220 plus GST for each extra one on the same visit, and we lodge the results with Council for you.
What is backflow testing, and who needs it?
A backflow prevention device stops water on a property flowing back into the town supply when the pressure in the main drops. It's fitted wherever the water on site could pick something up on the way back, places like commercial kitchens, medical and dental practices, car washes, buildings with a fire service, and properties with irrigation or a rainwater top-up.
Central Coast Council requires the device to be installed by an accredited backflow plumber and registered with Council, and every testable device to be tested once a year, with the results submitted to Council. The owner is responsible for making sure that happens, which in a strata building means the owners corporation and usually the strata manager on its behalf. There's no Council fee to lodge the yearly report.
What happens at a backflow test?
The water to the building goes off while the device is tested, usually for about half an hour, a little longer on a big device, so we arrange the time with you or the tenants first. We test each valve against what it's rated to hold and confirm the device is still the right type for the hazard on the site.
If it passes, we lodge the results with Council and send you a copy, so there's nothing for you to submit. If it fails, you get a photo and a plain note on what failed and what the repair costs, and once it's fixed we retest and lodge it the same way.
How much does backflow testing cost?
| Job | Price with ZC | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Backflow test, first device on a site | $300 plus GST$330 including GST | Size and type of device, water off for about half an hour |
| Each extra device on the same visit | $220 plus GST$242 including GST | Number of devices tested on the one visit |
| Lodging the results with Council | Included | Nothing, Council doesn't charge for the yearly report |
| Repairs to a failed device | Quoted before we start | Which valve failed, parts, retest and relodging |
| Yearly TMV servicing | Quoted per site | Number of valves, whether cartridges need replacing |
| Backflow prices are per device. Every passed test is lodged with Council and a copy is sent to you, and we keep track of when each device and valve is next due. | ||
What is TMV servicing?
A thermostatic mixing valve, or TMV, blends hot and cold water so what comes out of the tap is warm rather than scalding. It's fitted wherever the people using the water are most at risk of a burn, in aged care, retirement villages, childcare and health care. Over time scale and grit build up inside it and it stops holding its temperature, which nobody notices until someone gets burnt.
The Australian Standard for these valves, AS 4032.3, sets out how they're tested, maintained and replaced, and we service every TMV we look after once a year. At each valve we check the outlet temperature, service or replace the cartridge and strainers, retest it, and record the result against that valve, so the manager has a history for every one when an auditor or insurer asks.
In a house the same job is done by a tempering valve at the hot water unit, and we fit a new one with every hot water system we install.
Who keeps track of when the tests are due?
We do. Most buildings that need a backflow test also have TMVs, and both come around every year. We keep a record of when each device and valve is due and book the test before it lapses, so it never relies on a committee member or a busy property manager remembering. When the plumber doing the yearly tests is the same one doing the maintenance and the urgent repairs, there's also one set of records and one invoice to the agency or strata manager.
We look after property managers covering roughly 5,000 rentals, strata buildings and several retirement villages across the Coast, including at Berkeley Vale. There's more on that work on our strata, real estate and commercial page.
Backflow and TMV questions
$300 plus GST for the first device and $220 plus GST for each extra device on the same visit, with lodging the results with Council included.
Once a year on the Central Coast. Council requires every testable device to be tested annually, with the results sent to Council.
Yes, to the building, usually for about half an hour per device. We arrange the time with you or the tenants beforehand.
We do, and you get a copy. The owner is responsible for the test being done, and in a strata building that's the owners corporation, usually through the strata manager.
Every year. We test and service each valve and record the result, so there's a history to show an auditor or insurer.
Get your Backflow Testing & TMV Service
Set up yearly testing. Contact us via our website, or give us a at call 0476 000 533 with the address and the number of devices and valves, and we'll book the first test and keep the dates from then on.
