Wednesday night's storm causes flooding in Cambridge, MA

7/14/2017 (Permalink)

Storm caused flooding

Wednesday night’s storm caused street flooding, flooded basements and sewage to be backed up into basements. Local restoration companies like SERVPRO of Cambridge/Belmont were busy helping homeowners and businesses with storm related issues. Storm related events that cause flooding or sewage back up problems are not typically covered by insurance. Specialty policies or endorsements must be in place prior to a potential claim.

Precautions to prevent future flooding or damage

Certain preventive measures can be taken to prevent a City sewer from backing up into your basement during or after a heavy rain. Some are low cost, while others require corrective plumbing work.

• Make sure sewer trap plugs are fit tightly on the house trap. Replace old ill-fitting sewer trap plugs with fit-all plugs.
• If the house sewer line is solely for sanitary use (not for any rain water flow) a back-water check valve can be installed in front (the street side) of the house trap.

• If the house sewer in question is also for storm water (rain water) flow and there are plumbing fixtures in the basement (such as a toilet, shower, or a sink) backwater check valves can be installed for individual plumbing fixtures.

What is a backwater check valve?

A backwater check valve is a self-operating valve that only allows for water flow in one direction. If properly maintained it will prevent water from flowing in the opposite direction thereby preventing a sewer backup from a public sewer system.

A backwater check valve should be cleaned every 6 months to a year, a task easily performed by a non-professional by removing a few screws. No special tools or skills are required for maintenance on a backwater check valve.

This relatively low-cost installation can prevent heavy rain from causing damage to your house ever again. If your basement gets flooded or has sewage back up, please call SERVPRO of Cambridge/Belmont (617) 864-7378 to assist you.