Back Water Valve Maintenance

Posted on | by PAC Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning

Is your home protected by a backwater valve? Well if so then it’s important to maintain it properly to ensure its functioning correctly. This week on Paul’s Pro Tips will show you how to correctly maintain your back-water valve. Without the proper maintenance, your back-water valve can wind up being completely useless. You must maintain your back-water valve once or twice a year at the most but it’s still very important to not neglect it. Back water valves are there in case of a plumbing blockage. It makes sure that when you do have a blockage, the water will not go in your house. The valve shuts down the main line and stops any dirty water from going into your toilets, sinks etc. If not maintained properly, then the back-water valve will not do its job and it becomes completely useless. Here are some basic tips to maintain your back-water valve:

 

  • You should always do a visual inspection first of the valve. Make sure there is no debris in there
  • Remove the cleanout plug from the valve. Clean and rinse the are thoroughly to make sure that there is no debris or bacteria in there. (It is highly recommended you wear a pair of rubber gloves while doing this)
  • Once you clean it, move it back and forth to make sure that it is moving without any issues.
  • Also, check the O-ring of the backwater valve. (This is very important)
  • If there are any problems with the O-ring it is vital that you replace it immediately so the valve can function properly.
  • Also, while maintaining your back-water valve, make sure that you pay attention to the gate on the valve and make sure it is not damaged. Sometimes the gate can get damaged by a scratch by a sharp object or something else. If this is the case, then take off the bolt cover and rinse it thoroughly until all debris is gone and make sure there is nothing there.
  • Damaged or worn out float cells can also be the cause of the problem. Check your float cells every few weeks or so because this could be the cause of the problem.

Back water valve maintenance is very cheap and easy to maintain. If you maintain it like you are supposed to then you will not be spending a lot of money to fix it! If that happens to be the case then call P.A.C. immediately and we will take care of it!