Solution to Check/Backwater Valve Problems?
So, I understand from reading through various forum posts that backwater valves (or check valves) are problematic. I get it: you keep outside sewage out, but you end up keeping your own in, for the duration that the valve is shut. Is there some sort of workaround for this? Could you have a second check…
So, I understand from reading through various forum posts that backwater valves (or check valves) are problematic. I get it: you keep outside sewage out, but you end up keeping your own in, for the duration that the valve is shut. Is there some sort of workaround for this? Could you have a second check valve somewhere up the line to re-divert the house’s waste into a dry well in the backyard? and then divert the rain from the roof into rain barrels or that same dry well (assuming it’s big enough)?
It just seems impossible that we can put a man on the moon, but can’t solve this problem….
Thanks for the feedback sourgrapes and mshook. This at least makes me feel like it’s manageable.
Ahem. Feasibly.
We have been dealing with this problem for a while, as well. After two terrible basement floods from city storm water backing up into our house, we installed an industrial check valve in the main wasteline out to the street. It had been a solution for years, until these past two really bad storms. We had water back up into our washing machine, which is the only water outlet on the basement level. We called out plumber and he suggested putting another small check valve on the washer. The next highest outlet is the patio drain in the back yard, then the first floor sinks and toilets which are another three feet up. Unfortunately, we had plans to put in a bathroom, or at least a slop sink in the basement. All of the plumbing is there and ready to be hooked up, but I don’t dare give the water another place to get in. Feasably, we could put check valves on the sinks, not sure about a toilet. However, I understand check valves are not 100% effective. We’ve spent so much money and cleaned up so much mess from what is really a failure of the city’s sewer system. So frustrating. We’ll see what the next storm brings.
We live in Red Hook and when we bought our house it was clear that the cellar flooded regularly in heavy rain. The previous owner had installed a manual check valve – it’s a spigot that I turn off and block water from coming into the cellar laundry sink (which is where the water comes in and then spills over to flood the cellar). We also bought 2 rain barrels to deal with the run off from our roofs. The house really didn’t seem to be able to deal with the amount of water that comes off those roofs (there are 2 – house and garage), and capping that pipe and having all the water run into the barrels has cut down on our flooding significantly. Now, about twice a year, there is a storm heavy enough to warrant turning off the cellar sink valve. During super heavy storms, we can hear gurgling in our kitchen sink, so the water obviously does come up to the next level, but not all the way into our sink (thankfully). At some point we should probably pay someone to send a camera into our sewer line, but to be honest living in Red Hook, we figure flooding is part of the deal.
Thanks everyone!
haha, yep. That makes sense about the moon thing. I mean really.
But here’s a follow up to BobJohn’s answer: if the sewer line is backing up from the street, how is pumping the water up to that level going to help, if the check valve is closed? Isn’t it going to end up bursting pipes as more and more waste and water from the house accumulates?
What peter said.
Also, there’s some credible suspicion that the moon landing was faked. 🙂
If water backs up it will get out of the lower point in your system – the basement shower. If you do something about it and water reaches next lowest point – basement toilet and so on. there are two aproaches: put sum pump for all basement fixtures and pump the waste up to the ground level. This way the ground level will be the lowest point and hopefully water will go other way.
or you can install check valve on the shower only. This way water has to reach at least level of your toilet to spill out.
I guess not the sewage, haha. yeah, that’s gross.
But I’m just trying to figure out how you can keep it from flowing back up into the house, into the basement when the check valve is closed during a heavy downpour. Because that’s pretty gross too.
waste into a drywell would be a really bad idea, not to mention illegal