WE PROVIDE 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE
WE PROVIDE 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE
PLUMBING & DRAIN SERVICES IN BARRIE
A sewer backup can do extensive damage in minutes. Once wastewater starts backing up through your sewer line, you may start to see it coming out of the lowest drain in your house.
We can install a backwater valve to help prevent wastewater from entering your basement. Sureflow Plumbing & Drain offers backwater valve services in Barrie.
Have you had a sewer backup? Or are you worried about water backing up into your basement? We can check to see if a backwater valve would be beneficial for you.
A backwater valve will be placed in your building’s sewer line. All wastewater will travel through this valve on its way to the city sewer line.
If sewage starts to back up into your line, the backwater valve will close, helping prevent it from travelling further into your building.
Our backwater valve services include:
You will want to have access to your backwater valve at all times.
When wastewater leaves your home, it will travel down your sewer line. When there is a sewer backup, that wastewater can travel in the opposite direction.
Your backwater valve reacts to wastewater travelling the wrong way. It will close the flapper inside the valve and help prevent it from going any further into your home.
This will not keep the city sewer line from backing up. It is designed to help prevent sewage from travelling back into your property through your sewer connection.
You don’t always have to experience a sewer backup before considering a backwater valve.
Some reasons why you may want to install one include:
While a backwater valve will not stop every possible cause of flooding, it can help prevent sewage from backing into your home through the sewer line.
There are many reasons why a sewer line can back up. The problem could be on your property or farther down the sewer system.
Possible causes include:
Knowing what caused your sewer to back up can be beneficial.
A backwater valve can help prevent sewage from backing into your home through the sewer line. However, if your own sewer line is blocked, you will still need to resolve that problem.
Many people do not realize that the floor drain in their basement is one of the lowest points in the home’s plumbing system.
When wastewater is travelling back through the sewer line, your floor drain may be one of the first places to show signs of a sewer backup.
Here are some things to look for:
Once you know that sewage is backing up into your basement, you should have the sewer problem investigated. You may also want to look into adding a backwater valve to your home.
A backwater valve has a flap inside that allows wastewater to pass out of your home. As long as waste is travelling through the valve in its normal direction, the flap remains open.
If sewage begins flowing back toward your home, this flap will close. After the backup has passed, the valve can reopen and allow wastewater from your property to flow through the sewer line again.
A backwater valve has moving parts, so it should not simply be forgotten after it is installed.
Most of the time, we need to gain access to your main sewer line to install a backwater valve. This can require opening part of the basement floor to reach the sewer pipe.
The process involves locating the correct section of sewer line and installing the backwater valve so wastewater can normally pass through it and continue toward the municipal sewer.
After a backwater valve is installed, it needs to remain accessible for future inspection and maintenance. Every property is different, so some installations may require more work than others.
Depending on how the backwater valve is installed and where your property is located, permits or inspections may be required.
There can be several things involved with installing your backwater valve, so it is important to determine the requirements before starting the project.
Sureflow can look at your situation and advise you on what may be required. We cannot assume that every property will have exactly the same requirements.
If you already have a backwater valve installed, it’s a good idea to have it inspected from time to time. Debris can build up inside the valve, the flap may become harder to open and close, and seals or gaskets can wear over time.
When inspecting a backwater valve, we can look for:
This can help you know whether your valve is able to operate when you need it.
Since there are moving parts involved with a backwater valve, it is important to maintain it.
Every time you use your plumbing, wastewater passes through the valve. Debris can accumulate around the flap or inside the valve itself.
If your backwater valve is not able to close properly, it may not provide the protection you expect during a sewer backup. Having the valve inspected can help catch a problem before the next major rain event or sewer issue.
It depends on the property. How heavily the sewer line is used, how old the valve is and whether your home has experienced sewer problems can all play a role.
As a homeowner, you should at least know where your backwater valve is located and make sure the access cover remains accessible.
If your home has recently experienced a sewer backup or you are unsure about the condition of the valve, you may want to have it inspected.
Sometimes you may not need to replace the entire valve. There could be something stuck inside it, the flap may not be opening and closing properly, or there could be a problem with a seal or access cover.
Backwater valve repairs may include:
It depends on what we find when we inspect the valve.
Sometimes an older or damaged backwater valve may need to be replaced.
We may recommend replacement if:
If the valve is in good condition and working properly, there may be no reason to replace it.
Many people ask us about backwater valves and sump pumps. Both can help protect your basement from water problems, but they do different things.
A sump pump removes groundwater that collects around your home’s foundation and enters the sump system. A backwater valve helps prevent sewage from travelling backward through your sewer line.
You may have both. They are not the same thing, and one does not necessarily replace the other.
Although these two may sound similar, they are different devices.
Backwater valves are installed on sewer or drainage lines to help prevent sewage from backing up into your home.
Backflow-prevention devices are generally used on water-supply lines and help prevent contaminated water from travelling backward into the fresh water supply.
These devices protect two different parts of your plumbing system.
During periods of heavy rain, sewer systems can become overloaded with water. This can cause sewer levels to rise if too much water enters the system at one time.
If wastewater starts travelling toward your home, a properly working backwater valve can help prevent it from travelling farther into your property.
This is one reason many homeowners consider installing a backwater valve after experiencing a sewer backup.
Having sewage back up into a finished basement can cause a lot of damage. Your floors, walls, furniture and electronics could all be affected.
There is also a contamination issue that comes with sewage inside your home, which is very different from ordinary clean-water damage.
If you have invested in finishing your basement, you may want to consider a backwater valve as another layer of protection for the lowest living area of your home.
Your home may have had its sewer line in place for many years. Just because your home is older does not mean you automatically need to install a backwater valve.
However, if you have experienced sewer backups or are updating your basement, you may want to look at your current drainage system.
You should also keep in mind the condition of your sewer line. A backwater valve will not repair an old sewer pipe if it is cracked or damaged.
There are times when we may want to see what is going on inside your sewer line before installing a backwater valve.
Using a sewer camera, we can view accessible areas of the sewer line and look for things such as:
We want to know if there is a pre-existing issue inside your sewer line before installing the backwater valve.
A backwater valve will not fix your sewer line if it is plugged with grease, tree roots, debris or another blockage.
The line will still be blocked and you will need to have the obstruction removed.
If your sewer continues to plug, you may need to have the sewer line inspected with a camera to determine what is causing the problem.
Tree roots can enter your sewer line through a crack or misaligned joint. Once the roots begin taking over the line, they can contribute to a sewer backup.
Although a backwater valve can help stop sewage from travelling back into your home, it will not fix the tree-root problem itself.
You may still need to have your sewer line camera inspected, cleaned or repaired.
Sureflow offers backwater valve services for homes throughout Barrie.
This can include:
We can look at your current sewer setup and advise you on what may be involved with installing or servicing a backwater valve.
Backwater valves can also be used in commercial properties.
A sewer backup can cause damage to washrooms, basements, mechanical rooms, storage areas and other parts of a building.
Sureflow provides plumbing and sewer services for commercial properties in Barrie including:
Your plumbing system will need to be evaluated to determine what may work best for your building.
If your backwater valve has closed because sewage is travelling backward through the sewer line, you may have trouble draining wastewater out of your home.
It is best to reduce or stop water use while an active sewer backup is happening.
If you continue using showers, toilets, sinks and appliances, more wastewater can enter your plumbing system while the valve is closed.
Once the sewer backup has passed and the valve opens again, wastewater can begin draining normally.
If the valve is stuck closed, it can interfere with wastewater leaving your property. If it cannot close, it may not protect your building during a sewer backup.
There can be several reasons for this, including:
If you suspect that your valve is not working properly, you should have it checked.
Backwater valves are there to help protect your property from reverse sewer flow. If you are currently experiencing a sewer backup, you need to deal with the immediate problem first.
Sureflow offers 24-hour emergency plumbing services in Barrie for sewer and drain issues.
If sewage is coming into your basement, try not to use additional plumbing fixtures if possible. The more wastewater going into a blocked drainage system, the worse the backup can become.
Basements can be damaged very quickly when a sewer backup occurs. Having a properly installed and maintained backwater valve can help prevent sewage from flowing backward into your home through the building sewer.
Sureflow Plumbing & Drain can install, inspect, repair and replace backwater valves in Barrie.
If you have had a sewer backup in the past or are looking to finish your basement, we can look at your situation and advise you on whether a backwater valve may benefit your property.
For your backwater valve needs, call Sureflow Plumbing & Drain at 705-503-7996.
It allows wastewater to pass out of your home but is designed to close when sewage starts travelling backward through the sewer line.
You may not.
If your home has experienced sewer backups, you have a finished basement or you want additional protection against sewage coming through your lowest drainage points, we can discuss whether having one may benefit your plumbing system.
No.
It can help prevent sewage from backing into your home through the sewer line. It will not stop groundwater, foundation leaks, sump pump failures or other sources of flood water.
Sump pumps remove groundwater that reaches the sump pit.
Backwater valves help stop sewage from flowing backward into your home through the sewer line.
Yes.
You want to make sure there is no debris around the flap or other internal moving parts. Buildup or damage can affect how well the backwater valve operates.
Some repairs can be made depending on what is wrong with the valve.
Replacement may be needed if the unit is badly damaged or can no longer operate properly.
Yes. Sureflow installs and services backwater valves for homes and businesses throughout Barrie.
Yes. Sureflow offers 24-hour emergency plumbing services in Barrie.
