Residential · Sump pits and flood guard
Backwater valve installation across Oakville
In a cloudburst the municipal sanitary sewer can fill past its brim, and once that happens, street-side water hunts for the cheapest way out, which in a lot of Oakville homes is the basement grate.
- Typical stay: about a day
- On the dolly: concrete saw, breaker, valve, PVC fittings
- Your part: a clear path to the street-side basement wall
- Paperwork: permit and inspection where required
- Licensed plumbers · ask for details on the call
- Cause found and explained before work starts
- Oakville & Halton coverage
What this job involves
In a cloudburst the municipal sanitary sewer can fill past its brim, and once that happens, street-side water hunts for the cheapest way out, which in a lot of Oakville homes is the basement grate. A backwater valve is a hinged one-way flap set into the main building drain. Wastewater leaves past it normally; when flow reverses, the flap lifts and seals, keeping the street’s problem out of your rec room.
How the job goes
- Trace the main drain and choose a spot downstream of every fixture it must protect.
- Saw and break out the slab over the drain.
- Remove a length of pipe and set the valve body dead level, arrow pointing streetward.
- Cap it with a riser and clear lid, letting you peer at the flap from floor level.
- Pour back the concrete and walk you through the seasonal check.
Warning signs on your pipes
- The basement has taken water through the grate during a storm.
- Houses on your block have had sewage backups.
- The basement is about to be finished and you want protection beforehand.
- Your insurer has asked about flood-prevention devices.
- The house sits low compared with the road.
From the job notes
Under its basement flooding prevention program, Halton Region has helped pay toward backwater valves, sump pumps and disconnected downspouts.
Under its basement flooding prevention program, Halton Region has helped pay toward backwater valves, sump pumps and disconnected downspouts. Details shift from year to year, so read the current rules and the application steps on the Region’s site before work begins, and keep every receipt and photo.
A backwater valve needs a permit in Oakville, and where it sits matters a great deal. Put in the wrong place, it can trap the household’s own wastewater behind it during a storm. We explain the layout for your house so you know which fixtures to rest while the flap is shut.
What comes off the truck
| Tool or part | What it does on the job |
|---|---|
| Core-drill and chipping hammer | Opens the slab for a new pit or a backwater valve body |
| Discharge extension | Throws water clear of the foundation instead of back into the weeping tile |
Questions we hear
Can I use water while the flap is shut?
Lightly. Your own drains cannot empty while it is closed, so skip laundry and long showers until the storm passes.
Is a sump pump not enough?
They guard different doors. The sump handles groundwater around the footing; the backwater valve blocks sewage coming in from the street.
Related plumbing
- Sump pump installationnew pit or new pump
- Gas tank water heater replacementold tank out, new tank in
- Toilet replacement and installationnew toilets set properly
- What not to flushevery day
- Winterizing outdoor tapsOctober
- West Oak Trails1990s and 2000s subdivision
- Wedgewood Creek1990s homes in the northeast
- Coronation Park arealakeside streets in the southwest
Not sure which job fits your pipe? Call (365) 517-8536 and describe it.