What is a Backwater Valve? 

Many homeowners nationwide are experiencing sewer backup or basement flooding, which happens when sewerage from the city’s system overflows into your home after a sudden heavy rainfall. This is what makes installing a backwater valve so important, reducing the chance of this type of incident to almost nothing. In the case that there is a sewer system backup and you have a backwater valve in place, sewage will not be able to flow back into your house.  The reason being that the device has a flap allowing water to exit a house, but closes to stop the backflow into the house. 

Installation and Maintenance 

The device can be installed in the basement at the exit point from the home or building, or in the sewer lateral outside of the building. When installed correctly, it is placed so that sewage back up is stopped and does not come through other outlets in your basement such as sink, toilets, showers, and laundry tubs. A backwater valve should last a homeowner many years, with proper maintenance. Have the valve check and cleaned a minimum of once a year. Keeping this system free of unnecessary material will also help extend its life expectancy.  

Damage and flooding from sewer backwater 

When disasters strike an area, the devastating health issues created by raw sewage flooding homes and building with contaminated sewer water is a common issue. During these natural disasters, some areas witness levels of sewer water rising near and even above ground level, causing a substantial amount of homes to have many feet of contaminated water in their basements for days. In cases like this, homes that do not have a backwater valve installed suffer the most, since there is no way to stop the flow into the house. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rainfall, flash floods, or is prone to any type of natural disaster, installing a backwater valve is a must.  

Overall, the loss of personal belongings and the cost of professional cleanup cannot be compared to the cost of the installation of a backwater valve. Being prepared for flooding dilemmas and installing a backwater valve will save you a lot of time, money, and aggravation in the long run. Do your research, get informed, and keep your house safe from sewage backup!