Backwater Valves
Backwater Valves
Backwater Valves prevent backflow in drainage pipes.
Q: What is Backflow?
The sanitary sewer system collects wastewater from your home through a pipe called a sanitary lateral. This lateral carries waste water from toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, showers, and sinks, to the city sewer main.
Foundation weeping tile drainage tubing collects groundwater from around the foundation of your home and in modern homes in the city, they are connected to the city's storm sewer by a storm lateral. Water from rainfall events and snowmelts are also collected by storm sewers. In Ottawa, this water is generally directed untreated into the Ottawa River.
In older neighbourhoods in Ottawa, there is only one "combined" lateral that carries both storm and sanitary wastewater from your home to the city's sewer main.
Surcharging of the city's sewer main (sewer overflowing) can result in a backflow condition where, without the proper protective plumbing devices present, sewage and/or storm water backs-up into basements and/or weeping tiles. If sewage backflows into your basement or weeping tile the result is very expensive losses that may not be covered by your insurance, and major cleanup efforts may be required including replacement of sewage contaminated weeping tile around the entire perimeter of your house.
Q: How can I prevent Backflow?
A:
Increasingly, municipal governments, homeowner insurers and homeowners are turning to protective plumbing devices called "backwater valves" as reliable devices that can significantly reduce the likelihood of backflow.
Westboro Foundation Repair retains a certified Plumber, licensed in Ontario to install protective plumbing devices such as normally closed backwater valves for stormwater systems and normally open backwater valves for sanitary systems to protect your home against backflow and resulting basement floods.
Furthermore, Westboro Foundation Repair has proprietary systems we can use to sound an audible and show a visual alarm if a backflow condition occurs, designed to alert you to discontinue use your plumbing until the backflow condition has ended. This alarm can be easily attached to your home security system, and can also send you an alert to your smart phone.
