Preventing Basement Floods in Toronto
Toronto Backwater Valve Installation
Basements are no longer the storage spaces they were in the past. Today, we use our basements as fully-functioning living spaces where we sleep, entertain and work. We spend money decorating our basements with expensive art, furniture and valuable family pictures. A basement flood can cause major damage to these precious and often irreplaceable items, not to mention the walls and floors.
While the City of Toronto is constantly working to update and maintain the city’s complex underground water systems, melting snow, heavy rainflow and runoff can still make its way into your basement. As homeowners, we have to do our part to ensure that our homes and valuables are protected from water damage.
Here are some of the ways in which you can prevent Toronto basement flooding:
- Disconnect the weeping tile from your sanitary sewer. (note Hoerner does not service weeping tiles)
- Install a sump pump and a sump pit.
- Disconnect the eavestrough from your sanitary sewer and extend it to two metres away from the home’s foundation.
- Install a rain barrel.
- Correct the grading of your lot by creating a clay slope that directs the water away from the home.
- Install a backwater valve.
The Importance of Installing a Backwater Valve in Toronto
A backwater valve is installed underneath the basement floor, where it prevents water from entering your basement and flooding it. The valve allows water from your drains and toilets to safely flow through the house and into the municipal system. However, the backwater valve has a simple valve that closes when water starts to flow back from the city’s pipes into your basement.
Installing a Toronto Backwater Valve
Installation is no simple task and that’s why you need to contact a professional, licensed plumber to do a sewer inspection with camera and acquire the appropriate permits to install the backwater valve according to the City codes.
The contractor will break through the floor and dig down to the main drain which takes all the wastewater from your home to the municipal sewer. A piece of the main drain will be removed and replaced with the backwater valve – your last line of defense against basement flooding, should your sewers back up. Once the backwater valve is secured in place, the contractor will backfill and repair the concrete.
A backwater valve is your best option when it comes to preventing basement floods. You can check the backwater valve regularly to ensure that it is in working order, but be sure to tighten the lid. It is recommended that a qualified plumber inspects it regularly, too.