Backwater valve can save your basement from disaster

A very important part of your home is your basement; depending on your specific situation, you may have a fully renovated and complete basement, but most people will have some varying degree of finish in their basement. Nonetheless, the basement is also home to a wide variety of utilities such as the water heater, electrical fuse box or breaker panel, and sump pump system. There are also very often drains in the basement that must be properly protected from the municipal sewer system in order to prevent basement flooding conditions. This is commonly done using a mainline backwater valve.

How does a backwater valve protect the building?

A cut-away view of a backwater valve

A full-port backwater valve has a few key features and benefits that make it one of the most widely used valves. The design allows for the municipal sewer to vent through drain line while still maintaining unobstructed sewage flow through the valve as per standard operation. However, if there is a situation of sewer backflow or backup then the valve will automatically close. This protects the drain from flooding the basement with sewer backflow which can be an extremely nasty event.

Prevent flooding and save thousands of dollars

The best way to deal with flooding is via prevention. If you have ever experienced a serious flood you know firsthand just how devastating it can be. Most people like to use their basement for storage, this means that they place a lot of sentimental and irreplaceable items down there; if you happen to be one of these people imagine what it would be like for these items to be utterly destroyed via water damage. Not just any water damage but sewer backup. Most people report serious flooding costing them upwards of $30,000 and can be even higher depending upon the exact circumstances. Once the damage is done, it is done, so it is a no-brainer that the best way to stop flooding is via flooding prevention. For most, installation of a backwater valve by a Toronto plumbing contractor will be a life saver.

The City of Toronto provides flooding prevention rebates

Luckily, if you happen to be in the situation where you are interested in preventing floods the City of Toronto are providing up to $3,200 in rebates to help you establish your flood prevention systems. This includes the installation of a backwater valve, sump pump, and more. For more information be sure to take a look at the City of Toronto’s rebate program and as it will provide you with the full story. In all cases however you must have the installations performed by a licensed Toronto plumbing contractor to qualify for the rebates, luckily we can help.

Toronto plumbers need to understand the plumbing guidelines

When you’re looking for a plumber you’ll need to make sure that you are hiring a full-fledged plumbing contractor. Someone that has a complete understanding of what the whole job entails. That means not only have the knowledge to get the whole job done but also having a good understanding of the entirety of the operation such as any regulations or municipal codes that are involved in the work being performed. Not all work requires a permit or the strict adherence to bylaws but when the work does require following these rules you must be in compliance.

Bylaws are extremely important for all Toronto plumbing contractors

Compliance to building codes is not just an annoyance, there must exist a strict standard to ensure the safety of not only those individuals whose property is being worked on, but also the safety of the general populace. There are stories of "handymen" attempting to grind into a live gas-line; it is this sort of disregard for the rules that can result in their own bodily harm, harm to their customers, and harm to anyone who happens to be nearby when this type of activity results in a serious accident. Of course, not all cases are this extreme, but the point is that every bylaw and regulation is in place to ensure the safety of all people. Therefore, hiring a Toronto plumber that has full knowledge and adheres to these rules is a very important task.

How can I make sure my plumber is doing the job right?

There are a few steps that you can take to ensure that your plumber is going to perform their work in a safe and compliant manner. You must first perform your own back check, this means checking their reviews and calling any references that they have provided you. Speak with these people, are they legitimate? Do they sound like friends of the plumber?

Next, make sure that they are both licensed and insured. Any professional plumber will carry license and you certainly don’t want someone who is not licensed performing any work on your property. Obtain copies of their license and insurance, double-check with the insurance company and call up an plumbing regulatory body to make sure that they do in fact possess a license and have the necessary insurance that will cover the job they are to perform. These steps alone will prove extremely useful in weeding out the less-than-ideal plumbing contractors and put you on the right track to ensuring a regulation abiding plumbing job.