A vital part of a plumbing system in older homes is a backwater valve. The backwater valve is part of your system if you own a home or a building in a location that makes it difficult to access a utility hole. In contemporary houses that are newly built, the likelihood that that backwater valve is necessary is minimal. These homes are designed in such a way that a backwater valve installation can often be avoided. Older homes require the valve to keep sewer water from flowing backward into the house in the event a clog stops up the pipe.
Of course, if you want to tempt the fates and go without a backwater valve, you can do that as well. Just do not be too startled when you come home from a fun day of shopping to find backed up, raw sewage flooding your beautiful washroom! When it comes to a backwater valve, you have several options to choose from, including the check, gate, and combination valve. Let us see how each one works and how you can benefit from a valve install:
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Check Valves
The check valve is a relatively simple installation, and its operation is equally simplistic. The valve consists of a flap that automatically opens/closes whenever backed-up sewage starts moving toward the building or home. The beautiful part about check valves is their automation: It means you do not have to be too concerned about the valve and its operation. Bear in mind that the valves are “high maintenance,” and in the event you wind up with an excessively large blockage, the automated flap may fail to work – this can result in a sewage backup right into the home. The check valve install is the cheapest option.
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Gate Valves
Gate Valve, as you might already guess, are valves that have a gate-like operation. You can operate the gate automatically or manually, whichever best serves you at the time. If, for example, you wind up with an excessively large blockage in your pipes, you can switch to the manual operation of the valves so you can take care of the blockage. When you have cleared the blockage out of the pipes, you will be able to reopen the pipes too. A bit more expensive than the check valve solution, gate valves are another choice you can make for ensuring your plumbing system keeps sewage water out of your home.
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Combination Valves
If you want nothing but the very best, a combination valve is almost what you need, but you will note a considerable expense for the unit. The combination valve has very little chance of malfunction. A valve is fitted with a blockage-sensing air filter. If a blockage occurs, the valve senses it and shuts down the pipe so no backwater can enter your home. The closed pipe will not reopen until the pipe is cleared.
Ultimately, the goal of a valve installation is to ensure the secure sewage flow from your home to the sewer lines and not the other way around. Once a valve is active and working to prevent sewage backup, you will not be able to use your sinks, tub, or toilets – this is the time to all in the pros like Dr. Pipe Drain and Plumbing Services so they can look at the line and make repairs.
