Question 1

Does a backwater valve stop groundwater in a Calgary basement?

Accepted Answer

A backwater valve does one specific job: it blocks sewage from flowing backward through the drain pipe into your basement when the city's sewer main surcharges during a heavy storm. It does nothing to stop groundwater, and if your basement is getting wet from seeping soil water, a backwater valve will not help.

What each problem actually is

Sewer backup arrives through floor drains, toilets or laundry tubs, usually during intense rainfall when the sewer system is overwhelmed. A backwater valv

Question 2

Backwater valve versus sump pump, which does a Calgary basement need?

Accepted Answer

These two devices solve different problems, and some basements need both rather than one or the other.

A backwater valve sits on the sanitary sewer line and stops sewage from flowing back into the house when the City's main is overwhelmed during a heavy storm. A sump pump removes groundwater that seeps through the foundation or rises through the weeping tile, discharging it away from the house. One blocks sewage coming in; the other pumps clean groundwater out. They work on separate systems and

Question 3

After the 2013 flood, what should Calgary homeowners install?

Accepted Answer

The City of Calgary's flood-protection advice centres on two installations: backwater valves and sump pumps. A backwater valve sits on the sewer line and prevents sewage from flowing back into the house during an overloaded main; a sump pump removes groundwater that collects in the pit beneath the basement floor. Together they address the two main paths water takes into a basement during a heavy rain or rapid snowmelt event.

What each system does and what it costs

A backwater valve requires a

Question 4

Backwater valve closed and toilets won't flush in Calgary, why?

Accepted Answer

A closed backwater valve and toilets that won't flush almost always mean the same thing: sewage is backing up from the city sewer main toward your house, and the valve has done exactly what it was installed to do, sealing shut to keep that sewage out. The toilets won't flush because there is nowhere for the water to go.

What is actually happening

Your backwater valve sits on the sewer line where it leaves your house. When the main sewer is overwhelmed, typically during a heavy rainstorm or a

Backwater Valves, Sumps & Flooding

Does a backwater valve stop groundwater in a Calgary basement?

Backwater valve versus sump pump, which does a Calgary basement need?

After the 2013 flood, what should Calgary homeowners install?

Backwater valve closed and toilets won't flush in Calgary, why?