Flood protection
Backwater valve installation in Toronto
In a heavy storm the City sewer can fill faster than it drains, and the water looks for the lowest way out. Often that’s your basement floor drain. A backwater valve closes that door.
or dial (365) 363-3352Answered day and night
- A camera inspection to locate the main drain and check its condition
- A plumbing permit from the City
- Cutting out a section of the basement floor over the main drain
- Installing the valve level, with an access cover for inspection and cleaning
A price before we startNothing cut or opened until you say yes.
- Licensed & insureddetails confirmed on the call
- Phones answered 24/7a person, not a queue
- Price before we startcall-out rate on the phone
- Old Toronto & East Yorkhouses, condos, businesses
How a backwater valve works
The valve is installed in the main drain under your basement floor. Normally a flap inside stays open and everything from the house flows out as usual. If sewer water starts flowing back toward the house, the flap closes and holds it out. Most homes get a normally-open mainline valve, which keeps the plumbing venting properly and is less prone to clogging.
Signs you need backwater valves
- Water at the floor drain after heavy rain
- Sump pump cycling every few minutes
- Damp walls along the foundation
- Neighbours on the street flooded before
- Finished basement with no backwater valve
Why Toronto homes need them
Severe storms, like the one in July 2013, have flooded thousands of Toronto basements. Many neighbourhoods have older sewers, and some have combined sewers that carry stormwater and wastewater together. When intense rain overloads them, homes with basement fixtures and floor drains are exposed. A backwater valve won’t stop groundwater seeping through walls, but it does stop sewage coming up through your drains.
What installation involves
- A camera inspection to locate the main drain and check its condition
- A plumbing permit from the City
- Cutting out a section of the basement floor over the main drain
- Installing the valve level, with an access cover for inspection and cleaning
- A City inspection before the floor is closed
- Restoring the concrete
Most installations take about a day, plus the inspection.
The City subsidy
Toronto has offered homeowners a subsidy toward backwater valves, sump pumps and cutting foundation drains off the sewer, when the work is permitted, done by a licensed plumber and the application follows the program rules. Details can change, so check the current terms on toronto.ca before you start. Our basement flooding subsidy guide explains how the process has usually worked, and we provide the paperwork you need.
Living with a backwater valve
While the valve is closed during a storm, water from your own fixtures can’t leave the house either. Hold off on laundry, the dishwasher and showers during a sewer backup. Open the access cover once or twice a year to check the flap moves freely and the valve is clean.
On the job, step by step
- 1Find the entry point
Floor drain, cracks, sump pit and discharge line checked in order.
- 2Open the floor
Concrete saw-cut around the drain line, pipe exposed to the stack.
- 3Install the hardware
Backwater valve or sump basin set to grade, check valve on the discharge.
- 4Pour and test
Floor patched, pump run with a bucket test, cover access left clear.
Questions we get about backwater valves
Is a backwater valve enough to keep my basement dry in every storm?
It does not. It blocks sewage pushing back up through your drains. Water coming through walls or up through the floor is a groundwater or grading problem, usually handled with a sump pump, downspout changes and grading.
My insurance company asked about a backwater valve. Why?
Many insurers consider them when quoting sewer backup coverage. Keep your permit and inspection records as proof the valve was installed properly.
Can one be installed in a finished basement?
Yes. The flooring over the main drain is opened and restored, and the valve gets an access cover you can reach.
Protect your basement. Call to book.
A plumber answers day and night, and the call-out rate is quoted before anyone drives over.