Drainage Backwater Valve


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Old 06-04-06, 01:30 AM
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Drainage Backwater Valve

Does anybody have experience with this? I have an old victorian with "grandfathered" drain leaders that go down from the gutters in through the foundation into the house plumbing. (My city has a combined storm and sewage sytem.)

The house also has a backwater valve. About once a year a storm so bad that the streets can't handle it means my backwater valve trips. At that moment, no water can drain from the house. Flushing a toilet, running a dishwasher, or receiving water from the gutters, will mean water on the basement floor. We can tell everyone to stop draining and flushing, and we've installed a baffle on the drain leaders so during bad storms we can drain the downspouts onto the ground. The problem is human -- how can I be sure these things get done, without having to worry about every little rainstorm?
 
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Old 06-04-06, 07:02 AM
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Dog shock colllars. Make everybody where one and zap them everytime they screw up

What exactly are you trying to do?

An alarm or alert light for when the backflow preventer is active? some sort of restrictor to stop water flow in same situation?

The gutter situation; I would consider making a permanent diversion to an on ground or in ground system for that. It will also help you wastewater treatment plant from unneccessary treatment of rainwater. Actually many cities are requiring they be split off to help avoid what you are experiencing now.

The rest of the situation; it depends on what you are willing to do and what you would like to do. You could do anything from an alarm to stopping fresh water flow. It all depends on how much money you want to throw at this and what you would like it to do.
 
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Old 06-05-06, 05:34 AM
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We are getting rid of the gutter issue.

As for the rest (preventing folks from flushing and draining during a bad storm) -- yeah, I'd like to know what other people have done. I'm putting up little notices everywhere. But yes, I'd like to do something a bit more foolproof.

What am I trying to do? -- prevent water in the basement! (Simple: when the backwater valve flips, no water can drain from the house.)

So, what have other people done that works? (And who sells these alarms?) Thanks.
 
 

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