It has been a long week, and you are finally getting a chance to sit down on the weekend, pop the top off a cold one, and relax. The constant rain has been demoralizing, but it’s time for your team to take another win, and you are looking forward to the game. Then, you notice a horrendous smell coming from the basement.

When you rush to identify what it is, you find that the city sewer has backed up and filthy sewage is flowing into your home through the drains, sinks, tubs, and toilets. If only you had backwater valve installation done in your home by the professionals at City Rooter, this disaster could have been avoided.

What is a Backwater Valve?

Also known as a backflow valve or sewer backup valve, a backwater valve has the sole purpose of preventing sewage and wastewater from being forced back into your home from the city’s sewer system. When a city’s sewer system is overloaded or blocked in some way, all of that waste is under pressure to go somewhere, and without a backwater valve in your Toronto home, that waste may be driven into your home.

Normally coming in 4-inch diameter, backwater valves come in several types with the most commonly used ones below:

This valve, designed for a horizontal drain pipe for most residential homes, has a flapper on the inside that remains down when wastewater is leaving your home. However, the flapper will swing up to close access off to the drain pipe if there is backflow of wastewater. There is usually a clean-out access if the line becomes blocked up.

This valve functions the same was as a horizontal backwater valve, but it is installed on vertical lines. If there is a high risk of backflow or if there is little room, this vertical valve may be the option. With this option, for most plumbing, a 2-inch backwater valve is the most common.

As the name suggests, this is backwater valve that is joined to a floor drain. Ideal for basement floors, this also contains a flapper that will swing up as a blockade in the case of backflow of wastewater from an outside source.

Regardless of the type of backwater valve installation you have done in Toronto, regular maintenance is obligatory. You will need to inspect the valve for faults through testing and clean any obstructions particularly if you suspect problems.

Why You Need to Install Backwater Valve in Toronto

New homes in Toronto, as well as plumbing work that is in the basement or below level living areas, require the installation of a backwater valve. While it is not a legal requirement at this time, back water valve installation in Toronto is an excellent idea for several reasons:

Sewage backups

You will most likely have to deal with any sewage backups that may occur near your home. After a heavy rainfall or snowmelt, the city’s sewer lines may become overloaded leading to backflow and spillage into your home.

Health hazards

You will need to deal with the health hazards of having raw sewage in your home dispersing harmful bacteria and viruses. This causes significant health risks to you and your family.

Financial costs

You may face serious structural damage along with the financial burden that repairs can bring to your home. Cleanup, repairs, replacing your possessions: these can be much more expensive that installing a backwater valve in the first place.

Insurance

You may find that your home insurance company may increase your premiums or even refuse to cover your home if it is in an area prone to regular flooding. The backwater valve installation cost may be very small.

Backwater Valve Installation Process

After receiving a permit from the City of Toronto, installing a backwater valve, in theory, is a fairly straightforward process. Normally, backwater valve basement installation involves cutting a hole in the basement flooring near the floor drain.

Then, a licensed plumber digs down to the main sewer line and swaps out a portion of the line with the valve. It is best that a licensed plumber from City Rooter do this work as the valve needs to be positioned and installed correctly or valve failure may be the result.

Cost of Backwater Valve Installation in Toronto

The cost of backwater valve installation in Toronto can vary somewhat depending on the type of valve being installed, the difficulty in installing the valve, and the size of the property. The cost of installation may also be affected by the costs of permits, modifications to your plumbing system, and possible excavation of your property.

Keeping these factors in mind, the average backwater valve installation cost in Toronto can range from $1,500 to $5,000+. As there can be a variance in pricing, the best move is to contact City Rooter today for a free estimate for your home.

Backwater Valve Installation Toronto Rebate Program

Registered residential home owners of existing homes are able to apply for a subsidy of up to $3,400 through the City of Toronto for flood protection devices.

That includes up to $1,250 alone for an installation of a backwater valve. As some restrictions apply, contact the professionals at City Rooter to arrange a free estimate for back water valve installation according to your individual circumstances.

Backwater Valve Basement Maintenance & Inspection

As inspection and maintenance can become messy, be sure to not wear your favourite clothing. After locating the valve, remove the cap and check for and remove any debris. Flush the valve with water and inspect the flapper for damage and to ensure that it moves without difficulty.

If there are items that won’t flush away such as grease, scrub the valve taking care not to bend or break the flapper or flapper arms. Reinstall the cap making sure that it is fastened and not cross-threaded. An inspection should be done yearly or more often if you live in a high-risk flood area.

Don’t Take Chances – Get Backwater Valve Installation Today

A backwater valve installation is one of those things in life that is better to have and not need than the reverse. Having sewage back up into your home would most likely bring financial hardship not to mention health hazards. Make the right decision and contact City Rooter today for a free home inspection and estimate. We are the professionals you can trust.

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Our reputation speaks for itself. With countless satisfied customers, our commitment to quality and service excellence shines through in their words.

Check out the latest reviews from our happy clients and see why we’re the top choice for plumbing services. Your trust is our priority, and every review helps us to continuously improve and serve you better.

A Sanborn

17:17 03 May 25

We highly recommend City Rooter Plumbing and Drain! Alex was very knowledgeable, straight forward and honest in assessing our underground drainage problem and explaining the solutions. He and his team were timely, professional, thorough, and the price was fair - definitely a cut above!

Dan E

19:43 25 Apr 25

Reached out for some problems with our sump system. Alexei was very responsive, easy to coordinate with. Came and diagnosed at end of week, fixed the next week. Explains what he’s doing and open to answering any of your questions. Would happily contact CityRooter again next time I need plumbing services.

Steve Rowe

19:17 24 Apr 25

I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your swift assistance. After placing my call, you arrived at my home within two hours and conducted a quick yet thorough assessment. Thanks to your expertise, the issue was promptly located and resolved.I truly appreciate your professionalism and efficiency. Thank you again for your quick response and resolution.

abhishek aggarwal

10:20 12 Apr 25

City Rooter (Alex) did an excellent job to quickly fix the ongoing leak in my washroom. it was fixed quickly and efficiently. Alex and his team are highly professional, efficient, and left everything clean. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for any plumbing jobs or fixing any plumbing issues!

SB Excavation

21:41 08 Apr 25

CityRooter Plumbing did a fantastic job replacing our old lead pipe with a new 1-inch copper pipe. There was a leak outside on the line, and they fixed it quickly and efficiently. Since the upgrade, we’ve noticed stronger water pressure and cleaner water, and we’re now confident it’s safer for our health. The team was professional, efficient, and left everything clean. Highly recommend!

Maxim S

19:52 30 Mar 25

My basement used to flood during heavy rain, and I was so tired of the stress. I called CityRooter Plumbing & Drain, and they installed a backwater valve that solved the problem completely. The team was professional, fast, and very clean. They explained everything and did a fantastic job. Highly recommend CityRooter for anyone needing plumbing or flood protection work!

Chris Stoyanovich

18:41 18 Mar 25

Excellent service quick response to request for a sump pump + supplementary pump on battery replacement fairly priced and then installed. All very efficient clean service overall. Alexei & his brother Max very polite and trustworthy as well.

Rod Sacamano

16:24 25 Feb 25

I contacted Alexei from City Rooter for a toilet and sink replacement and he came to take a look at my situation….he came a couple of days later, because it was not an emergency, and he did and amazing job! Everything went smoothly and their price was very fair. I will contact City Rooter next time i have a plumbing issue 100% Keep up the good work! 👍

Gary Plummer

00:29 31 Jan 25

Alexei did an amazing job. Very professional. Accountable. Great follow up and follow through. We didn’t chose the right plumber originally an Alexei and he team came in, fixed it, did the job correctly and brought it up to code. He helped get the permit , passed inspection, and applications for rebates. We highly recommend him.

Ana Olaru

21:24 25 Dec 24

Excellent work, great professionals! Always on time and responsible for the work they do! They have reasonable prices and they are professionals! I highly recommended

Siren Sativa

16:55 18 Dec 24

Alexie and the team were great! Friendly and responsive, honest, efficient, and clean. they asked all the right questions and were detailed oriented. The price was fair. I will definitely use them again. I am a happy customer!

Kimberley Cornish

13:16 13 Dec 24

Alex was quick and did a great job. I Would definitely use him again.

Nadeem Mansour

01:56 04 Dec 24

I highly recommend Alexie and his partner for all your plumbing needs. We recently moved to a new home and had an issue in our main bathroom, I called Alexie and he was able to come to my place for inspection within few hours only. Luckily the fix was easy and the price was fair and reasonable. City Rooters are definitely my go to for future plumbing needs.

Rick McCallum

20:48 29 Oct 24

Got back promptly; showed up on time; good work; neat and tidy

Cal Noehring

16:26 16 Sep 24

Hands down the best contractor I’ve ever hired to work at our home. Super nice owner and crew, incredible workmanship, clean, and fair price. There’s no reason to look elsewhere, City Rooter is #1 in my books. Thank you so much for the couple weeks of sewer and waterproofing work you did @ our home. It’s such a great feeling knowing you picked the right contractor for the job.

Jayne Carreiro

18:02 26 Aug 24

We would highly recommend City Rooter Plumbing & Drain Services. We were flooded like so many in our area. After the recommendations of several of our neighbours, we had them installed a back water valve on our main drain. They were knowledgeable and professional. We feel confident the job was done well and will make a difference in the future.

Nazneen Khan

17:50 09 Aug 24

Alexei and his team was honest and worked very clean and professional. He installed a backwater valve. I would highly recommend.Nazneen

Vita Boim

20:35 29 Jul 24

I highly recommend City Rooter Plumbing and Drain! They arrived on time, quickly diagnosed the problem, and fixed it efficiently. Professional, courteous, and reasonably priced. Excellent service all around!

Robert

02:49 14 Jun 24

Had a bad leak in the tub and 5 guys prior to look at it, finally was daignosed and the problem was from the shower head behind. Fixed it with teflon tape and screwed it back, leak was gone.

Ronald Blanchard

15:59 16 May 24

Timely and trustworthy company. I would definitely recommend hiring Alexei and his team for your next plumbing project whether big or small. They completed main house water and sewer upgrades, Guest house water and sewer lines and all rough in work. All work was done within timelines agreed and site was left clean. I would give them more than 5 stars if that was an option.

SP J

19:08 23 Apr 24

I hired City Rooter Plumbing to upgrade the private side of my main water line from lead to copper in downtown Toronto. It's a tight site, but that was not a challenge or obstacle for them. They did not make a fuss about working downtown and potential parking issues (which is something I hear often from other trades). Alexei and his brother were informative and generous with their time and knowledge while meeting with me to provide the initial estimate (they offered me guidance on the underground drains, which was outside the scope). They seem to care about their work and take pride in it. A crew of three showed up and completed the job on time. Alexei was very communicative. The entire crew did not mind if I watched (it was neat to watch the torpedo in action for the trenchless water line replacement).

Dragan Djordjevic

23:41 12 Apr 24

Alexei and team are very professional and fast. Helped us with plumbing services on two projects. Highly recommended.

David C

15:25 17 Feb 24

I would recommend Alexei and his brother. Reasonable price, professional, efficient and friendly.

Rafal Chalasinski

00:21 11 Jan 24

Great plumbing company. Alexei and his partner are both great to work with.I have used them twice, once for a back up in my laundry room (unfortunately they could not help as it was a city related issue) but they came and did everything they could to help and were very fair and honest in price.The second time was for two bad valves on my water heater. They arrived same day, quickly fixed the issue and once again were very professional and fair.I would definitely recommend Alexei for any plumbing related work.It's great to see that there are still honest and knowledgeable contractors out there!

petia barzachka

19:47 17 Nov 23

I am so pleased with the services provided by Alexei and his team.We had a problem with the main drain line in our house, they responded quickly, investigated the issue, provided an honest opinion on possible resolutions and resolve it with most satisfactory results.Good Job!

Tim Tom

01:18 27 Oct 23

Had an upstairs toilet leaking downstairs into the kitchen and a leaking bathroom faucet.Alexei came on time and replaced the toilet valve, faucet and fill valve. Happy with the results. Would use again.

Kay Bee

20:44 25 Sep 23

Excellent workmanship. Responsive. Excellent communication. Highly recommend. Will use Alex and team for any plumbing needs.

Jamie Arron

01:13 15 Sep 23

A great experience based on a large residential renovation/ bathroom remodel. The team was reliable, hard working and all around good guys who seemed very trustworthy.They even returned to the house afterwards to help address an issue that arose after the fact (not due to their error).

About Us

City Rooter has an in-house team of licensed and insured plumbing technicians.

What does this mean for our clients? We have direct quality control of the plumbing and drain solutions we provide. As a member of WSIB, you can trust our team is professionally trained and can handle all types of drain or plumbing issues.

Not only do our contractors stay updated with the latest training and most efficient methodologies, but we also have access to state-of-the-art technology including utilizing our sewer video equipment for problem detection and finding innovative drain solutions to minimize damage to your property.

With over 15 years of experience, our professional plumbers and drain experts have come to learn a lot over the years. Every plumbing project has provided us with more insight and information into how to solve all types of drainage issues efficiently and effectively. We have familiarity working with different drainage systems and have tested new technologies and methods to find tailor-fitted solutions for you.

We work diligently to fulfill timelines and stay on schedule while ensuring the quality of our work remains consistently great no matter the size or scope of the project. Our plumbing services are affordable, and we make a conscious effort to ensure the calibre of our work is not compromised in the process.

City Rooter is a locally owned licensed plumbing and drain company. Our local plumbers have invaluable experience working in Toronto and the GTA, understanding the different drain plumbing systems that were built in your neighbourhood. Our team will suggest solutions that will work with your existing plumbing structure, testing and ensuring we avoid foreseeable issues.

In addition to the skillfulness of our craft and the latest techniques we employ, we put forth exceptional customer service, ensuring your 100% satisfaction and approval are met. Professionalism and respect are some of our core values that shine through both in how we communicate and interact with customers and whilst working in your home or place of work.

Service Areas

Our commitment to providing exceptional plumbing services extends across the Greater Toronto Area. Whether it’s a minor repair or a major installation, we’re just a call away.