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You can reliably stop basement flooding
A reference for protecting your property
(With additional information for Detroit Area Residents)
A Wyandotte, Michigan, resident describes what occurred at his home a couple of years ago:
“The toilet in the basement had water coming out of it like a fire hydrant.”
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A Birmingham, Michigan, resident was considering
suing the city because of his basement flooding
problem. He describes his feelings:
“If I won today and they gave me $50,000, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. The money wouldn’t make the problem go away.”
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Did you know that both of the homeowners above could have positively stopped their basement flooding?
They could have simply installed a valve in the incoming sewer pipe. They could have shut this valve to stop the water from coming in. However, this is only part of a solution.
Hello. I am Art Schrage, a Detroit area professional sanitary engineer
(credentials). I created this website to get the
word out that this problem can be fixed.
Art Schrage and local plumber Lee Revord [7KB]
Isn't this the city's responsibility to fix?
Unfortunately, most cities could never handle the cost of a sewer system big enough to handle all the rain water and sewage. Rain water flow varies tremendously, amounting sometimes to 11 or more times the sewer water flow. In addition, the city would have to build a system that could handle any size of storm under any ground conditions. As a result, it is more practical for homeowners to handle the problem by installing special pumps and valves in their homes as needed. However, you should consult an experienced professional plumber to be sure of the plumbing upgrades you need.
First, determine what
plumbing arrangement your home has
In the most basic type of basement plumbing, the basement drains join to the sewer pipe before it leaves the house. You will find this plumbing in many older homes. Sewage from inside the home and rain water from around the perimeter of the home (footing drain water) share the sewer pipe.
Newer houses often instead have two separate systems to handle sanitary waste water and rain water. The footing drain water (rain water) goes into the storm sewer and the sanitary waste water goes to the sanitary sewer. A state of the art sewer connection includes a flapper valve and sump pump.
You may also find various types of pumps and valves in houses where owners have attempted to stop basement flooding in the past.
The three basic levels of plumbing enhancement
Even with one or more of the following plumbing upgrades, you may still have a problem. Whatever your current plumbing arrangement, you usually can take further steps to positively stop basement flooding.
Upgrade #1: Install a Sump Pump
If you don't already have one, you will need a sump pump as part of any corrective measure. The sump pump removes the footing drain water from around the basement wall and deposits it outside the house on the ground, in a ditch, or in a sewer, depending on the surface grading around the house. Many communities require that new homes include sump pumps.
When you install a sump pump, you should also disconnect the floor drains in the basement from the sewer pipe and run them to the sump pump instead.
You will usually pay $1600 or more to install a sump pump, including the basement fixture disconnection. Each home is different.
Upgrade #2: Install a Sump Pump and Valves
If a sump pump does not completely stop the flooding, you can also install a
check valve and a manual shut-off valve. The check valve has a flapper that shuts
when the water in the public sewer tries to flow back into the house. You can
also close the manual shut-off valve when you choose, in order to protect yourself
in special circumstances (for instance if you are going on vacation). You may
also need the shut-off valve in case the check valve for any reason becomes inoperative.
Of course, with the shut-off valve closed, you will need to discontinue, or at least sharply curtail the use of the toilets. You also cannot use showers, dishwashers, or clothes washers at that time.
Both the sump pump and the valves can be installed for a total cost of about $2800 or more. Each home is different.
Upgrade #3: Install a Sump Pump and an Ejector Pump
An ejector pump can provide still further protection to stop basement flooding. An ejector pump positively pumps all sewage waste out of your home, regardless of the level of water in the public sewer. However, since the pump requires electricity, you will will need to discontinue use of the toilets if there is a power failure.
Both the sump pump and the ejector pump can be installed for a total cost of about $4400 or more. Each home is different.
To best protect your property
value, get an expert opinion
Basement flooding and sewer backup problems can greatly impact the value of your
home. Your best choice is not to ignore the problem, but to consult an expert
and take the necessary steps to remedy it.
To learn more about this problem, you might also read "Avoiding
Basement Flooding" on the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation website.
It is intended for Canadians, but gives a good general overview of the problem
that will help you gain more understanding of it.
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