Protect Your Basement Against Flooding

Basement flooding can be a serious problem. In addition to the obvious mess, inconvenience, and general chaos it can add to the household, there are other negative effects as well:

• Chronically wet houses are linked to an increase in respiratory problems.
• Restoration of a finished basement may cost thousands of dollars.
• Insurance rates or deductibles may rise to compensate for repeated basement flooding claims.
• Property value may depreciate because the basement is prone to frequent flooding.

Why Do Basements Flood?

Aside from a natural disaster, flooding is most likely to occur during periods of heavy rainfall, or when snow is melting rapidly during a spring thaw. In these cases, your basement can be wet because of:

• Leaks in your home's basement walls
• Poor lot drainage
• Failure of the weeping tiles (foundation drains)
• Over-saturation of the soil, which causes rising ground water
• Overflowing gutters, leaking or plugged downspouts
• Basement flooding may also occur because of:
• A blocked connection between your home and the main sewer in the street
• Back-ups of wastewater in the sewer system or a combination of wastewater and rainwater from the sanitary or combined sewer system
• Failure of a sump pump used to pump weeping tile water

How to Avoid Basement Flooding

Your property drains through an interconnected system that must function properly from beginning to end to prevent flooding. You usually can best diagnose a flood problem by working your way down from the gutters and downspouts to the lot and foundation drainage, and then to the plumbing systemâ€"both inside your home and beyond its connection to the municipal sewer system.

Gutters and Downspouts

Water pours off the gutters and into downspouts. Your home's downspouts must be disconnected from drain tiles and directed over land away from your home so that water doesn't pool next to the basement walls or basement windows. Make sure downspouts extend at least 6 ft. from your basement wall, so that the water does not drain back toward the house, and are not directed toward your neighbor's property.
If your downspouts are connected to your home's sewer system or weeping tile, disconnect them.
Clean debris from gutters regularly. If they overflow even when clean, replace them with larger size gutters and downspouts.

Lot Grading

If the land around your home slopes toward the foundation, rainwater heads right for the weeping tile around the basement and can overload your foundation drainage system. Land tends to settle over time, causing the earth to slope inward toward the foundation. If your lot slopes inward, you'll want to fill in and grade the lot so that, for at least 6 ft. out from around the foundation, the land slopes away from your house and water drains away from the basement walls. Also, examine sidewalks, patios, decks, and driveways. These can settle over time and cause water to drain back towards your basement walls.
Be sure that any drainage improvements you make do not cause water to flow onto your neighbor's property.

Use Flood-Proofing Devices

If your Toronto home or neighborhood drainage system is prone to flooding, you should have flood-proofing devices, such as a sump pump or back flow valve, to keep rainwater and sewage from backing up. Each installation is unique, and some devices might require a plumbing permit. Check with your local government or talk to a qualified plumber before you proceed with any installation.

Sump Pit Drainage System

• A sump pit drainage system includes a sump pit, a sump pump, and a discharge pipe. The sump pit, set into the basement floor, collects water from the weeping tiles around your basement. The pump pushes the water outside your house through the discharge pipe.
• Place your sump pump discharge pipe far enough away from the house so that it drains somewhere onto your property where water can be absorbed and not drain back into the housesuch as the lawn or flowerbed. Do not allow water from your sump pump to drain directly onto neighboring properties, sidewalks, or streets. Installation of systems like this can be labor-intensive. You might want to consult a basement waterproofing professional on how to properly install the system based on local ground conditions.
• Here are some helpful sump pit maintenance tips:
• Clean the sump pit each year after freeze-up.
• Check and test the pump each spring before the rainy season begins, and also before leaving your house for a long time. Pour water into the pit to trigger the pump's operation.
• Remove and thoroughly clean the pump at least once a year.
• Check the discharge point regularly to make sure that nothing blocks the flow.

WARNING: Disconnect the pump from the power source before you handle or clean it.

Backwater Valve

A backwater valve prevents sewage in an overloaded main sewer line from backing up into your basement. The valve automatically closes if sewage backs up from the main sewer. A properly installed backwater valve must be placed so that sewage backup is stopped and does not come out through other outlets in your basement, such as sinks, toilets, and showers.
Make sure that you can get at the valve at all times. Check the valve regularly and remove material that might prevent it from operating properly.

Plumbing Fixture Maintenance

Have a qualified plumber inspect the flood-proofing devices and plumbing fixtures regularly to ensure proper operation. Check the operating instructions for more detailed information and safety guidelines, or ask your local Toronto Mister Plumber to explain the details of your system to you. A Mister Plumber give you free estimates so you can consider the flood protection options.

If you are still looking for trusted plumber, Mister Plumber in Toronto, Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York specializing sewer repair, upgrade waterline, water service upgrade, drain cleaning, backwater valve installation, lead pipe replacement, re-piping and emergency plumbing, Mister Plumber uses the latest technology to effectively troubleshoot and quickly repair any plumbing problem and offers a fast response and free estimates.

More Info: www.misterplumber.ca 

Reliable and Trustworthy Plumbing services.

Call a fully-licensed, bonded and insured Toronto plumber at 416 939 1530

Basement Floor Drain is Backing up and Flooding - There's Water in the Basement

First, you need to determine if it is local waste produced in your home that can't get out due to a blockage in the main line leaving your home, or if it is waste from the sewer system coming back in (called a backflow).

A blockage can occur if a portion of the line has broken, but generally a blockage is caused by roots that have grown into the line, or by something flushed down a toilet that has lodged in the drain pipe.

When this happens, you will see evidence of your basement drain backing up as the lowest point in the system (generally the basement drain overflows) is where the evidence is visible.

Chemical products may work to open the drain, but running a snake through the line is generally necessary.  In the case of roots of invading the basement drain line, a power snake with sharp cutting blades must be used to cut through the roots.

With your own local waste backing up it's one thing, but when nasty, contaminated waste from hundreds of neighbors starts pouring into your home, it becomes a whole different issue.

In this case, usually due to high levels of rainfall temporarily raising the water overall table, the system will be overwhelmed.  If the lowest drain in your basement (or other shower drain or toilet) is lower than this temporarily raised water level, you will find your basement drain backing up.  In some cases the pressure created by the raised water level is so great that water raw sewage will be spewing several feet into the room from basement drains.

There is only one way to prevent this particular condition of your basement drain backing up; the installation of a gate to keep the unwanted reverse flow out.  Some of these gates are manual and must be manually inserted or manually turned closed.

The best are automated solutions called "Backwater Valves" or "Backflow Preventers"

A Backwater Valve automatically senses a reverse flow (water flowing the wrong direction and back into your home) in your main line and completely closes it off from the sewer system outside.  This prevents your basement drain backing up.

A Mainline brand 4963 Backwater Valve installed in the main line below your basement floor is one of the most economical and effective ways that you can prevent your basement drain from backing up.

If I've heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times, "I just had my basement drain overflow, and naturally I was I was . . . at work . . . asleep . . . out of town . . . on vacation.  In these cases, the fact that a backwater valve works automatically is worth  the associated costs of the valve and installation.  As many know, what's as stake is thousands of dollars of damage to the basement living space, not to mention the health hazards caused by the bacteria in the raw sewage produced by hundreds or even thousands of your neighbors.

Some people simply insert a plug into their basement drain in an attempt to stop a basement drain backup, but in a case where groundwater comes in when there is not a mainline backup, the end result is also flooding.  Additionally, the force of incoming water can simply push these plugs up and out of the way leaving you unprotected.   A good automated backflow valve is the best solution to avoiding a basement drain overflow that lets water in the basement.

The single biggest advantage of the Mainline brand Backwater valve is that it uses a patented normally open design.  When properly installed with a required minimum slope of 2% (or more), water and effluent leaving the dwelling works to continuously self-clean the gate, keeping it free and ready to seal when you need it most.  There are hundreds of cheap normally closed valves on the market that are destined to fail as debris accumulates at the sealing point.  The patented Mainline brand is the single brand backwater valve available with a self-cleaning normally open design.

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More info about backwater valves, backwater valve installation and free quote for this service in Toronto, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York- check our partner website http://www.backwatervalveinstallation.ca

Etobicoke: Backwater Valve and Sump Pump Installation (Review)

TC from Etobicoke

Vlad and his team are the best in the business!

The quote was fair, the permits properly obtained and the workers were conscientious in keeping the area clean and in order. They worked quickly and dealt with a weeping tile issue (no connection to the drain) by hand digging under the foundation wall to ensure connections were made. Vlad cares about his company, the quality of work, and his employees.

I highly recommend them for any plumbing of this sort which is giving me a great sense of relief waiting for the next flooding storm!

If you are still looking for trusted plumber, Mister Plumber in Toronto, Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York specializing sewer repair, upgrade waterline, water service upgrade, drain cleaning, backwater valve installation, lead pipe replacement, re-piping and emergency plumbing, Mister Plumber uses the latest technology to effectively troubleshoot and quickly repair any plumbing problem and offers a fast response and free estimates.

More Info: www.misterplumber.ca 

Reliable and Trustworthy Plumbing services.

Call a fully-licensed, bonded and insured Toronto plumber at 416 939 1530