Step one in flood prevention

The first stage of flood prevention at our home is almost complete. A back-flow prevention valve is now istalled on the sanitary sewer pipe. Currently, the plumber who installed this is mixing cement to fill the hole and allow access to this valve. It is a one-way valve that lets the sewage water exit the house to the sanitary sewer but prevents water from that sewer backing up and entering the house.

Also shown in this photo is the water line that enters the house too and the storm water sewer pipe. Both sewer pipes are about one foot below the basement floor and perhaps five feet below the surface of our lot.



The plumbing company asked that we have a five foot by five foot area of the basement floor cleared of any sub-flooring or carpet. As you can see that 25 square foot area really was needed.






Our home is described as a High Ranch style home. As such the basement windows are larger than the norm for regular basements while the basement itself sits higher in the ground.

A second back-flow prevention valve will be installed later today (we hope) on the storm water sewage pipe. This has to be installed outside the home, somewhere on the line between the house and the sidewalk. I will blog about this when that work is done.