# Gate For Sewer?



## Affordable (May 22, 2012)

ok well i get a call for a sewer rodding on a house that a couple just got from the bank.. said it wasnt draining.. ok so i go there bout 50 feet out the cable wont go past.. ok so i try some more.. and even ran the camera down but cant see threw water.. so i say must be a broken pipe.. so we start diggin and im along side this B-Box lookin pipe says water on top but looks way to big like a 4" round cast iron pipe with a lid that says water.. so i get down and find the pipe now let me mind u this is 8'7 at this time deep.. ok so i follow the locator right to the pipe in the ground that looks to me like a water shut off .. huge huge valve..
so.. im thinkin wtf is this thing.. then it came to mind i heard of these never seen em before.. i take the pipe off the valve going to the top of the soil above and its got this shut off on it.. so i turn it and it opens liek maybe 1/2" to releave th e pressure.. but it was seized.. so i used my snappers to cut it out of there and replace it with Sch 40 but still that mother was so heavy we couldnt get it out of the hole.. my question is.. why was that put there.. is it cause the main sewer 150 feet from the house that is like 15' deep have issues and backs into the houses on that block? me not putting a new gate in there gonna cause a issue?
basically it was like a sewer shut off if u ask me.. lmfao.. looked like cast iron hope it wasnt brass i would of made some good money on the scrap)


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## jitr64 (Sep 30, 2010)

It sounds to me like a back water valve


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Did it have a valve stem? If not, it's got to be a backwater valve. Why it would be so deep I can't understand, though.

Never run into anything like that...maybe Sewerratz will know what it is.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Replace it with another. 4" ties into the flapper and 6" will be used as the sleeve for it.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Is the flood level rim of the lowest fixture lower than the lid of the closest manhole?


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Gettinit said:


> Replace it with another. 4" ties into the flapper and 6" will be used as the sleeve for it.


Sounds like an excellent place to lose cable head


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

My thought exactly, if you cut it out and the house gets flooded sometime later they'll be looking at you. Is the manhole elevation higher than the houses? Also need to enlighten them as to the importance of knowing about the backwater valve so future sewer line servicing crews don't destroy it


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Around here they are commonly called Boosey valves, they are usually found in the basement at the point where the house drain goes under the foundation, when I did service work we had a handful of people that were on a regular maintenance schedule, as they have to be serviced yearly to stay working.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Killertoiletspider said:


> Around here they are commonly called Boosey valves, they are usually found in the basement at the point where the house drain goes under the foundation, when I did service work we had a handful of people that were on a regular maintenance schedule, as they have to be serviced yearly to stay working.


Makes sense. 

Any backwater valve needs to be accessible and serviceable, otherwise it's nothing but a hazard for HO and plumber alike...8'7" deep is ridiculous. 

I'd put the new one closer to the house where it will be serviceable and easy to ID.


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

My boss had one on a daycare in Houston the state inspector said they had to have one because the sewer drain was lower than the critical level of the bayou


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

My question is: 

How much you charge to dig 9 feet deep?

And how long did that take?


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## patrick88 (Oct 14, 2008)

I seen one house with a gate valve. It was one the laundry line. The former owners installed it because the back water valve failed. Well years later with the new owners and years of build up. The backwater valve wouldn't let anything thru. Was a shame pulling up the wall to wall carpet lol. 
I have heard of back water valves 20 or more feet feet from houses underground. A city inspector told me they ran into them often. He said the city installed them decades ago. Now the home owners must deal and are required to have one installed in the house. Lol. Nothing like snaking mains and getting stuck. Then making the home owner spend all that money.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Sounds like a CI backwater valve. I think the check is brass if you care.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

If it my way, backwater valve wouldn't be allowed, someone must present to close it.. otherwise its freaking useless... my solutition is to repipe with over head sewer.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

rjbphd said:


> If it my way, backwater valve wouldn't be allowed, someone must present to close it.. otherwise its freaking useless... my solutition is to repipe with over head sewer.



Kinda like the loop for a dishwasher? :laughing:


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

The only time I have seen a valve on a sewer line was at an oil field company. The city wanted to be able to shut off the sewer if they did not like what was being sent down the line. This company thought that a floor drain in the mechanics shop was a good way to recycle oil and chemicals. After the city and plumber got done I bet they had a change in policy.


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## justin (May 14, 2010)

Maybe they were testing it and put in a gate valve . Never cut it off , then when it passed they said eff this and left it


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Heres the one i use when needed , it is easy to service from above. 

http://www.rectorseal.com/Clean-Check-Backwater-Valves.php


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## 1bddelx (Aug 18, 2012)

justme said:


> Heres the one i use when needed , it is easy to service from above.
> 
> http://www.rectorseal.com/Clean-Check-Backwater-Valves.php


 

I have used a similar model in LA numerous times.. Works great


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

double post


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## Tim`s Plumbing (Jan 17, 2012)

The city of Chicopee Mass has gate valves all over the city on sewer lines. Until a few years ago they had combination storm and sanitary sewers. If a heavy rain came the owner would shut the gate to keep the storm water from comming into the building


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Tim`s Plumbing said:


> The city of Chicopee Mass has gate valves all over the city on sewer lines. Until a few years ago they had combination storm and sanitary sewers. If a heavy rain came the owner would shut the gate to keep the storm water from comming into the building


I've been at this a long time...that's the first I've heard of that being done.

You just learned me something :thumbsup:


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## patrick88 (Oct 14, 2008)

Tim`s Plumbing said:


> The city of Chicopee Mass has gate valves all over the city on sewer lines. Until a few years ago they had combination storm and sanitary sewers. If a heavy rain came the owner would shut the gate to keep the storm water from comming into the building


Thanks. Never seen one in chicopee. Holyoke was were I seen the most back water valves


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

The entire city of Chicago and most of it's Cook county suburbs have combined storm and sanitary, it's the reason they built Deep Tunnel.


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