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Backwater Valve Installation in Pickering

During a cloudburst the municipal sanitary sewer can surcharge. A backwater valve acts as a one-way gate, keeping that flow in the street instead of on your basement floor.

  • On the truck: pail-of-water test, check valve, ABS and PVC fittings and cement
  • First look: the pit, the float and the discharge line outside
  • Permit often needed; we check with the City first
  • Scheduled around your plans, quoted in writing
  • A price range on the phone, a firm quote before work
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A rustic barn with rain gutters in a sunny rural setting, capturing rustic charm
A rustic barn with rain gutters in a sunny rural setting.

Open 7 daysEmergencies any hour

  • Licensed plumbers, details on request
  • Quote before any work starts
  • Pickering and Durham Region
  • Residential and commercial

How we handle the job

A mainline backwater valve is set into the main building drain, downstream of every fixture in the house. It has a hinged flap that lies open while waste flows out and swings shut if water starts flowing back. Fitting one means cutting the basement slab near the front wall, exposing the drain, and installing the valve body with an access cover so the flap can be inspected and cleaned.

  1. Camera inspection of the building drain to find the right spot and confirm pipe condition
  2. City of Pickering plumbing permit obtained before work begins
  3. Slab cut, excavation and installation of a normally open valve
  4. Inspection by the city before the floor is closed
  5. Concrete patched and an access lid left flush with the floor
Bench note: a closed backwater valve also stops your own drains. During a backup, do not run the washer, flush or shower until the street sewer has drained.

Signs you need backwater valve installation

  • Water has come up through the basement floor drain during a heavy storm
  • Neighbours on the road have had sewer backups
  • The house has a finished basement with a bathroom or laundry below grade
  • An insurer has asked whether a valve is installed
  • You are renovating the basement and the floor will be open anyway

Low-lying streets near Frenchman's Bay, Fairport Beach and the Bay Ridges grid sit close to the lake and have older sanitary systems.

Pickering homes and this problem

Low-lying streets near Frenchman's Bay, Fairport Beach and the Bay Ridges grid sit close to the lake and have older sanitary systems. Storms in recent summers have put water into basements across the GTA, and both the City and the Region have, at times, offered help with the cost; read Durham and Pickering flood protection programs and check the current terms. A valve pairs well with a sump pump for groundwater and a battery backup.

What affects the cost

  • Depth of the building drain and where it leaves the house
  • Finished flooring that has to be lifted
  • Pipe material: cast iron, clay or ABS
  • Whether other fixtures need to be re-routed
  • Permit and inspection

What you can do first

Find out where your main drain leaves the house; it is usually below the front wall, near where the water line comes in. Check your home insurance for sewer backup coverage and any conditions it sets. Once a valve is in, open the access cover two times a year to make sure nothing is holding the flap open.

Questions callers ask

Does a backwater valve need maintenance?

Yes, a little. Lift the cover, inspect the flap moves easily and clear any debris. Twice a year is plenty for most houses.

Will it stop groundwater flooding?

No. It only blocks sewage flowing back. Groundwater coming through foundation walls or the floor is a job for drainage and a sump pump.

Related pages

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