I live well above seal level if that matters. According to Ulfelder, wastewater staff determined that an end section . How to Prevent Sewage Backup in a Condo or Apartment Complex Its costing me an additional $76 annually. If your Massachusetts apartment buildings and complex has suffered sewage backup, flooding or leakage and need sewage cleanup and repair, you are probably overwhelmed with concerns about many different details. This endorsement pays for damage to the structure resulting from a sewage backup, it doesn't replace the faulty equipment (toilet, pipes, etc.) Read more about the different types of water damage. If you own or manage an apartment or a condo, you might be wondering if the wastewater from upper-level units can cause a condo sink backup in a lower-level unit. All Rights Reserved. How Will a Stormwater Disconnection Impact Me? At first, a 12-inch-wide pipe was proposed to address concerns, but county staff and WashREIT later decided that a 15-inch pipe could be used instead. J.P. A competent onsite inspection by a plumbing expert who is familiar with sewer backups usually finds additional clues that help accurately diagnose a problem such as an improper house drain installation, other sewer backup risk points such as basement floor drains or sinks, even washing machines, or the need for a check valve or backflow preventer valve at your home main drain. This document explains for homes connected to a municipal sewer we discuss how to prevent sewer or storm drain backups into a building during rain or heavy flooding including the installation and use of backflow preventers, backwater valves, check valves and toilet drain plugs. Bio-Hazard Cleanup Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response. Its a fact of life that unplanned sewage backups, leakage, flooding, and intrusion events can make their way into your property and cause a great deal of strife. These valves are specifically designed to prevent sewage from backing up through the valve and thence into the building plumbing system. (Aug 13, 2014) Denny Mack said:In regards to J.P.'s question regarding sticking a plug inside the toilet bowl to prevent an emergency sewer backup, I performed a test. Dawn It's time for an onsite inspection by your plumber. The latter is because many people believe they are buying flushable wet wipes when in fact, they are not. Our main line has a sewer back-up flap [a wastewater check valve or backwater valve]. That said, our last suggestion is the best solution - a check valve (properly referred to as a backflow prevention valve or in some areas a "backwater valve") can be installed on the main building drain can prevent sewer backups through the toilet when the area sewer lines are flooding. Enjoy the fenced-in yard with complimentary use of the BBQ grill. Who fixes the problem? A good example is Intact Insurance, who forces a $2000 deductible onto any sewer backup claim you might have, regardless of the deductible on the rest of your policy (which is typically much lower). This means that the building portion of a relatively minor loss like mine was not insured, and the building had to pay for the cabinet and wall repairs out-of-pocket.