What is behind the drywall in Fox Island matters more than most people expect. The island went from a few hundred people in the 1950s to a wealthy Tacoma exurb, so the homes range from 1950s and 60s beach cabins on the Hale Passage side to large custom builds from the 1990s through today. The older cabins carry galvanized and early copper; the newer houses have PEX, tankless heaters, and water-feature plumbing that was never maintained by absentee owners. We reach Fox Island in about 35 minutes from Port Orchard, down Highway 16 and across the Fox Island Bridge from Artondale, and the trucks go out stocked for the jobs this community generates most.
Why backflow preventer installation is a little different in Fox Island
Many Fox Island irrigation systems were installed without any backflow device at all. When the district catches it, we add a properly sized assembly at the point of connection and reconfigure the manifold so each zone can be isolated.
Then there is what is under the yard. A gently domed island of glacial drift with bluffs along much of the shoreline and a few low beaches. Soils drain poorly in places, which limits drainfield options, and the water table under the low shoreline lots is close to the surface in winter.
Local conditions that affect backflow preventer installation in Fox Island
Local conditions shape the work. In Fox Island: Pump-house and crawlspace freezes on homes facing the water
Water purveyors serving Fox Island run annual backflow testing programs, and the notices they send often leave homeowners unsure what device they actually need. We call the district, confirm the hazard classification, and install exactly what they will accept.
In Fox Island specifically, one issue comes up more than most: Long private service lines from the road to the house developing leaks under lawns
Exposed backflow assemblies in Fox Island take a beating during Pierce County's periodic hard freezes. We install drains and insulated enclosures on new devices and add them to existing ones so a cold snap does not mean another replacement in spring.
Signs Fox Island homeowners call us for backflow preventer installation
Worth a call
- Your property has both a private well and a city water connection
- An old assembly is corroded, the shutoffs will not close, or the test cocks are seized
- A home inspector or county inspector flagged a cross-connection
- The brass body cracked in a winter freeze
- Your water district sent a notice requiring a backflow assembly or an annual test
How we handle backflow preventer installation in Fox Island
Our backflow preventer installation process in Fox Island is figure out what the purveyor wants, site check and flat quote, install with testable access, initial certification, then record and remind, with the written price coming before any tool is picked up.
Read the full step-by-step for backflow preventer installation →
Fox Island neighborhoods and areas we serve
Call from Nearns Point, Island Boulevard corridor or anywhere else in Fox Island, including the places near Fox Island Bridge and Fox Island Historical Museum that other outfits treat as a long drive.
Backflow Preventer Installation questions from Fox Island
Is a permit needed to install a backflow preventer in Fox Island?
Usually a plumbing permit is required, and the purveyor needs the installation and test report. We take care of both as part of the job.
Which water districts in Fox Island require backflow preventers?
Every public water purveyor serving Fox Island runs a cross-connection program under Washington's drinking water rules. If you have irrigation, fire sprinklers, a boiler or a well on the property, expect a requirement.
How quickly can you install a backflow device in Fox Island?
Most residential assemblies are installed within a few days of approving the quote, and we carry common PVB and double check sizes on the truck. RPZs for commercial services may need to be ordered.
My backflow test failed in Fox Island. Do I have to replace the device?
Not always. If the body is sound we rebuild it with new checks and springs, which is far less than replacement. If the body is pitted or the shutoffs are gone, we recommend a new assembly and show you why.
Can a backflow preventer be installed underground?
A double check valve assembly can be, in a proper vault with drainage. Pressure vacuum breakers and RPZs cannot; they need to be above grade, and the PVB has to sit above the highest sprinkler head it serves.
We bring the same equipment to Fox Island that we use at home in Kitsap: sectional and drum machines, a push camera with a monitor, our own hydro jetting truck, and a van stocked for the common repairs.