fbpx

Day: January 17, 2023

Installation of a check valve: on what the cost depends, to do everything yourself or trust professionals

Posted on by POM_Plumbing

Due to their geographic location, climatic conditions and other factors, many houses are subject to waterlogging and large amounts of wastewater accumulation through the drain in the basement. 

A qualified installation of a check valve on water will help to solve the problem presented – it is this part that prevents water from entering the basement of the house if the sewer line is overflowing due to precipitation or other factors. As soon as hazardous and smelly sewage begins to flow out of the sewer line, the check valve closes automatically so that the sewage does not flow into the basement. This element works so that it temporarily blocks the drain using a special small flap.

It is difficult to overestimate the usefulness of installing a check valve, but the quality of the installation is of great importance in this matter. Many homeowners are interested in the backwater valve cost to install, which depends on several factors. If you want to put this element in your home and preplan the budget or need help deciding what is better: independent installation or professional help – you should read our article. 

Top 5 factors affecting the price of mounting a check valve for water

Each specific project has its own individual backwater valve installation cost varies which is influenced by many factors. For a small home, the process presented can cost as little as a few hundred dollars. It will cost more if you want to install multiple check valves in a reasonably large building (residential or commercial). In addition, the final pricing for this service is also affected by subsidies from local authorities. The rates are influenced by another equally important factor – the layout of the building and what kind of check valve should be put. 

If you are interested in sewer backwater valve installation costs and want to plan your budget, you should consider several important factors that affect the final pricing. We’ve compiled the five most important ones.

№1: What type of backwater valve to install

The final cost is significantly affected by the size and model of the check valve. System rates range from $130-$999, depending on the specific model. The homeowner can pre-calculate exactly what type of check valve he needs: to do this, it is worth measuring the distance from the house to the main sewer line in the area. Installation of some check valves is cheaper than others.

No. 2: The right size check valve

Check valves come in a relatively wide range of models. The most common size elements installed in homes are 0.5 to 12 inches. For the installation of a half-inch system will have to pay 35-55 dollars, but if you need a one-inch system, it will cost up to 100 dollars. If the system is more extensive, it will cost more to install: a 2-inch system costs $75 to $200, and a 6-inch system costs up to $300. If you need an even larger system, it will cost more. The most extensive system at 12 inches will cost up to $600.

No. 3: What type of work is done: installing or upgrading an old valve

Installing a check valve for water is a necessity or just a very comfortable solution (it all depends on the norms of a particular municipality). In certain situations, they are installed immediately during the construction of the building, or they can be upgraded in an existing home. Installing a check valve during initial construction will cost an average of $150 to $250. If the plumbers are tasked with retrofitting a check valve, this situation will require removing some layer of concrete to open up the main sewer line. In this situation, the installation cost will be much higher – a minimum of $1,500 and a maximum of $2,000. In certain situations, installing a check valve can only be done with the municipality’s support. 

No. 4: How problematic is getting to the pipes in the basement or outside the building?

The final cost of the project is significantly affected by the need for earthworks – how deep the foreman will have to dig to get to the pipe. Also, in certain cases, it is necessary to dismantle the floor if the pipe is located below the level of the base of the house. The more complicated the work, the more you will have to pay. You should also consider that in some complex situations, groundwork requires the involvement of special equipment.

No. 5: The level of difficulty of the work being done

The rates of licensed plumbers range from $80 to $400. It all depends on the experience and qualifications of the specialist. Most states do not require a permit. But if a permit to install a check valve is required, it often costs no more than $50. Before installing this element, it is worth checking whether a permit is needed. Regardless of who exactly does the installation: you do everything by yourself, or you went to a qualified contractor, the municipal sewer service requires payment of a permit – it will cost an average of $ 50. However, if the check valve needs to be installed in a sprinkler system or a commercial facility, the fee will be slightly higher.

Is it possible to cut the budget if you do all the work yourself

Experts do not recommend installing a check valve system, even if you are pretty good at various plumbing tasks. If complex work is planned at the site, particularly those that require drilling, it is best to turn to a master. At the same time, it is worth noting that you will have to pay a couple of hundred more for services, but you can not doubt the quality of the work performed. In addition, it is best to seek help from licensed plumbers to protect yourself from any risks and unforeseen situations during the installation, which can cause damage covered by insurance.

If you have all the necessary tools on hand, however, it only takes $35 to install the check valve yourself. It all depends on the layout of your home. In some situations, you will need to pay more. For example, if you have to work in the basement for installation, you will need to buy or rent a particular drill. Also, in some situations, removing particular objects that impede access to the installation site may be necessary.

Buy a check valve yourself or order a turnkey service

Like buying the item itself, it should be done by true professionals to install check valves for sump pumps. The check valve must be appropriately chosen, corresponding to several parameters: size, model and others. Turning to professionals, you will get the best deals from suppliers of the highest quality components. Entrusting this task to professionals, you will save yourself from unnecessary worries. They can take care of all the tasks, providing a turnkey service – craftsmen themselves will choose the correct check valve, install it, and the customer will only have to accept the work. 

French Drains And Sump Pumps

Posted on by POM_Plumbing

Before you carry out any construction work on the site or in the house, it is certainly worth making a budget. The same applies to the installation of the French drainage system. To protect your budget from unexpected expenses that can go beyond it, it is worth knowing in advance about french drainage installation costs. Our article will help you with this question. We studied the market and calculated the approximate cost of the project.

Recall what a French drain is?

French drainage design is a dug trench, where the mounted perforated pipe is in the centre, and the top is covered with small gravel. The system can be installed in the house’s yard or basement. The system’s main task is the drainage of standing or accumulated water. Under the French, drainage is a general system which can be made in various solutions. It is often referred to as channel drainage, weeping tiles and other terms. The name depends, for the most part, on the method and place of installation:

  1. Weeping tile is a drainage system along the perimeter, at the base of the building, equipped at a fairly large depth on the site.
  2. Backyard or garden drainage, trench drainage is often a surface-level system installed in a garden, driveway, or yard.
  3. Curtain drainage system – mounted at ground level or around a building to divert precipitation (rain, snow).

Why it is worthwhile to put French drainage: the main reasons

French drainage is definitely worth installing in the presence of the following problems:

  • The site is always wet with soil. Suppose the yard constantly stands in puddles or appears quickly after a small rainstorm. In that case, it is worth thinking about a drainage system.
  • The basement floor of the house is constantly underflooded, water periodically appears at the junctions of the wall and floor.
  • Increased climate humidity. Even if the symptoms of flooding do not appear very often, if you live in an area with frequent rains, it is worth thinking about water drainage in advance.
  • The retaining wall is damaged. Suppose the building is on an elevated site with a retaining wall. In that case, the water can gradually damage it, which can provoke more significant problems. If the retaining wall is damaged, it will be possible to divert water away with drainage.

At the same time, it is worth noting that the French drainage system is not the only way to combat waterlogging of the site or the house. It is best to contact professionals to advise which system is best suited to your situation.

Prices for the installation of French indoor drainage

If you are interested in cost to install french drain inside a building, it ranges from $2,000 to $18,000. The rates largely depend on the need for a special drainage pump to be installed. If the system is installed in the basement or interior perimeter, french drainage will cost 40-1000 dollars per linear foot. Average rates are $4,000 to $15,000 per project. But in some situations, the cost can go as high as $18,000. More often than not, 100 to 150 feet of the system needs to be installed for optimal drainage.

Suppose you need to install a basement drainage system (drain tile). In that case, this requires more materials, and the work itself is more complicated. Therefore, the cost will be higher.

Also, a separate item of expenditure is the installation of a drainage pump in the system. A complete turnkey job (French drainage system and pump) will cost $4,650-17,000. It also includes a handyman’s fee of $650,000 to $2,000. The drainage system does not always have to be installed along with the pump, but they work much more efficiently in tandem.

Arrangement of French drainage around the perimeter of the house: how much money will have to be paid to specialists

Installing a weeping tile and French gutter system will cost $1,000 to $10,000 or more. The final cost is affected by the trench’s depth and the home’s square footage. The system is usually calculated at $10 to $50 per linear foot.

Also, separately in this situation, the cost of the blind is calculated – it is $10-25 per 1 linear foot. It is often installed at 2 feet from the foundation level.

We equip the French drain on the site

If you plan to install a French drainage system, it will cost an average of $10 to $35 per 1 linear foot. This option is relevant when the homeowner is experiencing severe difficulties due to standing water. A French gutter in the yard can also be connected to a perimeter system, or it can be connected to a clogged gutter treble to drain water away from the base of the building properly. The design of a yard gutter system includes several cost items:

  • The average cost of piping: is from $50 to $300;
  • Gravel procurement: $100 to $400;
  • Paying for the work of specialists: the landscaper will have to pay from $50 to $100 per hour, and the plumber’s rate is 45-200 per hour;
  • Rental of unique equipment: $100 to $200 for one day.

What cost items should definitely be taken into account in the project

The average cost to install a french drain depends on what building materials will be used during the implementation of the project, as well as how much the master will have to pay for the work done. This indicator is influenced by the level of complexity in the implementation of the French drainage project. Sometimes several specialists are needed to implement a project at once: not only a plumber, but also a landscape designer, a concrete worker and others. In addition, installing the system may require the purchase of sewer pipes, gravel, additional equipment and auxiliary materials.

As for the payment for the work of specialists, they take 50-200 dollars per hour. It all depends on the particular company. A large part of the budget goes to the work of specialists, and the pipes themselves will be relatively inexpensive. The average rates of plumbers are 45-200 dollars per hour. The more experienced the specialist, the more he charges. Sometimes you may need the work of a landscaper, who charges $50 to $100 an hour. If drainage needs to be arranged in the basement, it takes more time and effort. This process involves removing a layer of concrete around the perimeter of the basement for a complete drainage system. Concrete removal is calculated at a separate rate – $4.75-7.50 per linear foot (this data is relevant if the basement is a 4-inch concrete slab + the price of pouring a new concrete layer).

Materials also deserve separate attention. The installation of gutters requires the purchase of a particular pipe with perforation. Its cost is $ 0.50-3 dollars per 1 foot. In addition, you also need to buy a particular material for the cover. It will ensure the pipe is not clogged with sand and other particles.

DIY vs Professional Installation of a French Drain

Installing a shallow outdoor French drainage system is a doable task for the average homeowner. But in this situation, consider that you also need to rent special equipment to dig a trench or prepare the concrete floor for installation. Also, potential mistakes can offset all the savings and lead to even more costs.

Therefore, it is best to entrust this issue to real professionals. They will promptly, and quality install French gutters on the perimeter of the house or inside the basement. If you have no experience installing these systems, avoiding risks and contacting a professional company is better.

Sump pump in the French drainage system: purpose and rules for proper installation

Posted on by POM_Plumbing

You are familiar with such expressions as a drainage pump, but you do not know what exactly it means? Maybe it is already standing in your home, and you want to know how to maintain it properly, or you wonder what it is there for. It could also be that you have water in your basement all the time and are looking for an effective way to solve the problem presented. A sump pump is the best option. If you want to know more about this unit, we bring our article to your attention. We will consider all the nuances of the French system (it, together with it, used a drainage pump to divert water from the basement), for what precisely a drainage pump is needed and how to put it competently.

A Little Of The History Of French Drains

The French drain is, no matter how strange it sounds, an American creation that can effectively prevent basement flooding by quickly and efficiently removing excess moisture. The first systems were developed specifically for houses that were built in the 19th century. At that time in Massachusetts, many homes were suffering from constant water in the basement of the house.

By design, a French drain is a reasonably wide drainage pipe that runs around the perimeter of the base of the building. The pipe itself is perforated to allow water to enter it. The primary function here is the force of gravity – it draws the accumulated moisture into the sump pit from the basement. Once the pit is filled with a certain amount of water, the sump pump with the french drain starts working, flushing the water from the basement into the ditch.

If you think about it, the system presented is a cycle – first, the water comes from the outside, and then it is pumped out. Many people think about simply making an open pit w-here the water will be discharged. Of course, there are open pits, but they often act as secondary pits, and there are water and flooding problems. An outdoor pit will cost quite a bit of money, and it’s also much more challenging to get to it to perform regular maintenance than a basement pit. Also, it must be pretty deep, so it is often created in an area with a reasonably high water table.

What you need a sump pump for

A sump pump in a french drain is one of the most important systems that allows you to protect property from potential damage. More often than not, homeowners need to pay more attention to the equipment presented. In practice, they sometimes hear the sump pump activation. In particular, it works the most during springtime or when the rainy season comes. The frequency of activation depends on the specific operating conditions. In some homes, the sump pump operates daily while suddenly only activating periodically. It is essential that the presented equipment faithfully performs the main task – pumping water from the basement.

As for the basic principle of operation, this drainage system is quite simple. In this situation, it is necessary to create a drainage line around the house so it diverts excess water from precipitation, which penetrates the house. First, a simple hand pump is used to pump the water out of the house, collecting the water in a special tank. The collection tank is then pumped out again, taking the water far beyond the base of the building, several feet away, so the moisture is not back into the house.

A variety of pump types can be used in a drainage system. There are 2 in total:

  1. Submersible. Presented equipment is mounted underwater in a sump. These pumps are great for sumps or pits of a reasonably large size. As for the principle of the operation itself, the submersible pump works slower. It is also a little more challenging to work with in terms of maintenance if you compare the device with models mounted above water.
  2. Pedestal pumps. It is special equipment, and the motor is located above the water level. It is advisable to mount it when there is a small pit or sump on the site. This drainage pump can boast a relatively simple design and easy operation. It is easy to get to the pump if you need to service it.

Choosing the correct pump type depends on the sump’s size and where precisely the equipment will be located – above water or underwater. Specialists will advise you on the best model to use in your situation. They will also calculate the power of the equipment and other vital parameters.

Peculiarities of installation and operation of the drain pump

Often the installation of the French drainage system, together with the drainage pump, is carried out immediately after the construction of the house. It is necessary for the situation of constant humidity in the basement. It is advisable to install it before finishing the basement. In this situation, first, the perimeter of the basement floor is required to pass with a jackhammer to remove the concrete. After that, fine crushed stone is laid, and on top of the pipe is mounted for French drainage with perforation. After that, water will be collected from the joints of the basement wall and flooring as it accumulates. As for the pump itself, it is mounted in a particular hole in the lowest point of the basement to effectively remove water from the house and basement floor, preventing waterlogging of the house. A less critical rule of competent installation of a drainage pump is that the equipment must be put in such a way that it is not in the sewer. Otherwise, it is a severe violation of state regulations.

Drainage pumps are actively used in a variety of homes. They are needed to remove excess water after heavy rains or storms effectively. Often the presented equipment is connected to a backup power system from batteries so that the pump will continue to work in the event of a power outage, effectively coping with the potential flooding. It is best to have four batteries at once so the pump will work even if there is no electricity for a long time. A sump pump does not only function on battery power. It can also be plugged in. Often the batteries are left on the shelf until a particular time. But in this situation, it is worth checking on their condition from time to time so that they will be operational when the power goes out.

The basement should be kept as dry as possible in all weather conditions. The average life of a drainage pump is about 10 years with proper maintenance and proper operation. It all depends on the quality and regularity of maintenance of the equipment. Preventive maintenance is worthwhile from time to time to remove debris and potential clogs from the piping.