Is Sewer Backup Included On Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

Did you know there‘s a serious risk of sewer backing up into your home? This can be one stinky mess that you definitely want covered. Heavy rains can easily cause a backup in the sewer causing it to clog the mainline and begin coming into your home through toilets and other drains.

In many cases, sewer backup coverage is an additional endorsement you must select at the time you purchase your homeowners insurance policy. It may cost as little as $35 per year and that’s money well spent if you should ever experience this unfortunate risk. Provided on the right is a diagram which makes it easy to see how this can happen to your home during a bad rain storm.

A couple ways to prevent a sewer backup:

Backup Balance Valves:

A new backup valve known as a “balanced valve” first designed by Dino DelVecchio, will bring backup water within the sewer pipes to a halt. Dino first designed this after his basement flooded, never expecting this device to become such a popular solution for flood control. Basically, with this device installed, floats will force the valve closed during rain storms. A balanced valve can be installed in a manhole in your yard so that there will be no concerns over pipes busting underneath your basement. With it being installed in the yard the makes it the disruptive during the construction phase.

The Floor Drain Plug:

With a floor drain plug you can plug the first opening in the basement were the sewer backup could occur. This is the lowest drain opening within your home. Commercial grade plugs are available for purchase and you may place them under the grate inside the drain. Bolted metal ends cause the rubber gasket to expand and seal the potential entry of sewer backup. One drawback is this plug will do the same for water trying to escape out of the home in the event of a laundry overflow. Some homeowners use plugs only during the rainy season. You can find a plug for about $10 at your local hardware store.

Sewer Clean-outs:

If currently don’t have a clean-out connected to your sewer system, consider getting one installed. A cleanout will allow access to help you clear any sort of blockage in the line.