Backflow Testing and Prevention | Oakland & Macomb County

The short answer

Start with the complete system and the evidence

The first visible symptom does not always identify the actual failure. Sandison documents operating condition, connected components, safety concerns, access, and the evidence needed to choose a defensible next step.

What Sandison evaluates

A practical path from symptoms to the right scope

Clear diagnostic process
Licensed multi-trade coordination
Repair and replacement options
Residential and commercial support

Cross-connection control

The assembly protects the water supply only when its application, condition, and test are correct

Backflow work begins by identifying the assembly, protected hazard, installation orientation, shutoffs, drainage, access, freeze exposure, and the authority or facility requirement connected to the test. Sandison tests applicable assemblies, documents the result, and separates an adjustment or repairable component problem from an assembly that is damaged, incorrectly installed, inaccessible, or no longer suited to the application. A passing result reflects the assembly at the time of testing; it does not replace required maintenance or correct an unsafe cross-connection elsewhere in the property.

Repair and facility coordination

Commercial backflow service has to account for shutdowns, reporting, and return to use

Repair or replacement may require water shutdown planning, access coordination, parts identification, drainage control, insulation or enclosure work, and follow-up testing before the protected system returns to normal operation. Sandison communicates the observed failure, the work performed, the post-repair result, and any installation condition that remains outside the repair. For multi-tenant, food-service, medical, irrigation, boiler-fill, or process-water applications, the operating consequence of the shutdown is part of the service plan rather than an afterthought.

Primary references

Verify the local and credential information.

Michigan LARA — permits and plumbing-code administration

Common questions

What property owners ask

How does Sandison evaluate backflow testing and prevention?

Sandison starts with the symptoms, the property, the connected systems, and observable evidence before recommending repair, replacement, maintenance, or further testing.

Can I request service for backflow testing and prevention online?

Yes. Submit a non-emergency service request for review, or call the office during business hours. For an urgent active failure, call the emergency number directly.

Does Sandison serve both homes and commercial properties?

Yes. Sandison serves homeowners, property managers, businesses, and institutional facilities throughout Oakland and Macomb Counties.

Evidence and review

Why this page can be trusted

Owner-reviewed Sandison service record and verified Michigan trade scope.

Author and qualified trade reviewer: James Sandison, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University. Michigan Mechanical License 7115733 · Michigan Master Plumber 8112263 · Michigan Plumbing Contractor 800-3618. Last reviewed 2026-08-28.