Determining if a Waste Backwater Valve is needed

Some homeowners live in flood prone areas. One of the keys to building a flood proof basement is knowing your location in relation to the sanitary sewer system that serves your building or home. A sewer backup valve (waste backwater valve) can make the difference between having your basement flooded knee deep with raw sewage and staying high and dry.

Home #1 Does not need a backwater valve because water would drain from the first upstream sanitary sewer manhole which is lower than the inlet to the drain pipe in this home's basement. This home should never experience a flooded basement due to a sewer backup unless some unlikely event seals the first upstream manhole cover from opening.

Drains located on the first floor of Home #2 might be safe as it is slightly higher (must be at least 24" higher) than the first upstream sanitary sewer manhole cover, but there are some cases in which pressure builds enough to temporarily allow water to flow at a level above the lowest drain. When in doubt, and especially when the second floor living space is installed, it is wise to install a back water valve. However, any drain fixture in the basement of Home #2 would be below the level of the first upstream manhole and sewage backups could occur without a backwater valve.

Any drain opening in Home #3 would be located below the level of the first upstream sewer manhole cover so this home would definitely require the installation of a backwater valve.

Some building codes now require the installation of a backwater valve no matter where the home is located in relationship to the first upstream manhole cover. Please check local municipalities plumbing code or with your local building inspector.

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Termex Backwater Valves
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NEW: TOP-CHECK BACKWATER VALVES

Mainline ML-FR4 Backwater Valve (Fio Valve)
ML-FR4 Mainline Backwater Valve Fio Valve Brochure (Acrobat pdf)

6" Backwater Valves - Mainline STRAIGHT FIT Backwater Valves

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Be sure to check with the plumbing authority in the municipality in which your valve is to be installed to insure that your installation is in compliance with local code, and be sure have your valve inspected by your local plumbing inspector after installation. Inspect your valve frequently; the Backwater Valve through its clear plastic housing top, and the Adapt-A-Valve, by removing the gate cassette.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Pipe end-to-end, the Adapt-A-Valve takes up 6" of run in your line and the outlet is 1-1/2" LOWER than the inlet, so in just 6" the level of the pipe at the outlet side needs to be 1-1/2" lower.

Pipe end-to-end, the Backwater Valve takes up 12" of run in your line and the outlet is 3/4" LOWER than the inlet, so in just 12" the level of the pipe at the outlet side needs to be 3/4" lower.

Depending upon the amount of slope in your line (2% minimum is required for proper operation), you may need to replace several feet of pipe downstream from the valve to average out this "loss" of fall.

NOTE: New Straight-Fit and ML-FR4 require less slope. (refer to detail pages for these products)

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