Each year thousands of Ontarians (homeowners) experience contaminated water, flooded basements and expensive repairs due to a missing device in their plumbing.
A backflow preventer will prevent the backflow of water into the clean water supply. If the water pressure drops suddenly (like in a main break or pipe burst, or if there is a lot of water demand by the municipality), the water in your water lines may start to flow back. If not properly protected, your water may be contaminated by sewage, chemicals and/or groundwater for drinking, cooking and bathing.
Sewer backup protection is something similar, but targeted to sewer lines, that a backwater valve installation provides: It prevents sewage from backing up into your basement during times of heaviest rainfall or when the city sewer backs up. You will know the importance if you’ve ever experienced raw sewage coming into your basement.
For more than 20 years BOS Plumbing and Drains has been providing the GTA with backflow preventer installation and backwater valve installation services! We are familiar with municipal codes, the proper equipment for each type of property and how to implement it without disrupting your day.
For most homeowners, the sewer backflow valve is an afterthought, and only comes to mind when problems occur. Here’s when it’s time to do something before it does:
On the initial call, BOS Plumbing will conduct a thorough evaluation of your existing system and let you know what you require! No pressure. No unnecessary upsells.
Expert solutions for all your residential & commercial plumbing needs
We serve the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions with local expertise
It’s simple and straightforward. When calling BOS, please keep in mind the following:
Step 1: On-site assessment: We have licensed plumbers that come to your property to assess your existing drain and plumbing system and determine what the proper backflow device installation is for your risk level and code requirements.
Step 2: Device selection: Residential properties are normally required to have a sewage backflow valve or a typical backwater valve. Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA) or Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) assembly may be needed in commercial properties. We’ll tell you the difference and what will apply to you.
Step 3: Installation: Our plumbers have experience in cutting into the drain lines, installing a sewer back water valve, sealing all the connections and ensuring there is access to the panel for future maintenance. Work is done to the Ontario Building Code requirements.
Step 4: Testing: We test the backflow preventer valve installation before packing it up, to assure it’s working properly. We also take care of certification paperwork if necessary for your Municipality.
A functional and code compliant backflow preventer setup and clean worksite will be provided. That’s the norm, time and time again!
Let’s discuss the numbers: general answers won’t assist you with arranging.
The backwater valve installation cost in the GTA will generally vary between $1,500 and $3,500, for a typical home installation. Some factors that will impact the overall plumbing service cost will include:
Mississauga, Toronto and Oakville to name just a few among the cities in the GTA provide a rebate program for backwater valve installation. BOS Plumbing can talk you through what options are available in your area, and assist you in applying. In some instances the rebate is a very substantial amount.
We give a written estimate prior to beginning any job. The quoted plumbing cost is the one that you will be charged with.
Yes. And this is where experience matters.
There is a need for the backflow valve for the basement to be installed in most homes on the main sewer lateral. It is a single, long-term solution, which requires hardly any maintenance during decades. If you have not had one, and live in either Oakville, Milton or Hamilton, it would be worthwhile to get assessed. The valve is much less expensive than that.
There are varying rules for commercial plumbing service that provide backflow prevention. Commercial plumbers are required to install testable backflow assemblies by Health Canada and municipal water authorities in any situation where there is a cross-connection between the potable and non-potable water systems. Typically, it can apply to any restaurant, medical office, manufacturing facility or car wash.
BOS is a commercial plumbing service provider who has 20+ years of experience with industrial plumbing installations, such as RPZ assemblies, DCVA devices and annual certification testing for most municipalities in Ontario. As long as your business is in Cambridge, Niagara or anywhere in the GTA we will make your system compliant and continue to do so.
The short answer: climate change and aging infrastructure.
The GTA’s sewer system is an old-fashioned system. Previously unusual rainfall events are occurring several times a year. The city sewer system can become overwhelmed, and the flow of the sewage is reversed in the direction of the closest available drain. Typically, it’s the basement floor drain for most residences.
For this reason, other municipalities, such as Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton, have enacted regulations to ensure backwater valves installation in new homes and have implemented rebate programs to encourage existing homes to install backwater valves. It is now mandated by several cities before being able to get permits for basement renovations.
BOS Plumbing services in all these jurisdictions. We understand who to contact for inspections, which forms to complete and how to get your installation approved and completed in a timely manner.
Homeowner’s insurance will cover a lot of things. A sewage backup from an avoidable source, where a necessary valve isn’t put in is frequently not one of them.
A single basement flood from sewer backup can cause:
Insurance adjusters check for conformance. However, if your city mandated a sewer backflow valve and you didn’t have one, you could be in for a denied claim, in addition to the repair costs.
The least expensive option is to install. By a lot.
There are many homeowners who mistake these two systems, but they safeguard various sections of your plumbing.
A backflow preventer installation is installed to safeguard the quality of your clean water by preventing water quality from being compromised from a pressure change of water flowing back into the system.
The backwater valve installation will prevent sewer water from flowing back into your basement and sewer system when it rains heavily or your sewer backs up.
Depending on the property, it may be necessary to use both systems to achieve 100% protection.
It can. Any valve can become faulty from time to time due to debris, mineral deposits and mechanical damage. This is why inspection is regularly done every year and sometimes mandated by the municipalities for commercial properties.
BOS suggests that backwater valves on homes be inspected on a regular basis of 1-2 years. It is important that the flap mechanism is not hindered in its movement. A build up of sediment or if the gate sticks, the valve will not close when required.
Not only new devices, we provide maintenance visits for existing devices as well. Your back up valve for the sewer can be inspected and you can be assured of the results if you don’t know when it was last serviced.
Sewer backflow valve maintenance can keep the valves operating as they should when it’s most needed.
To ensure good system functionality:
Regular testing and maintenance will help to keep your backflow prevention setup operating for a longer period of time and avoid expensive sewer backups.
A sewer back water valve that is installed incorrectly can cause drainage issues, failed sewer inspections or sewage leaks.
Professional installation ensures:
A licensed plumber will ensure that the backflow preventer valve installation is safe, effective and will provide protection for your property.
This will rely on the danger category of your property and local needs.
Residential backwater valve: Most homes in the GTA will have a standard backwater valve to protect them. Protects against sewer backup into the basement. Typically located on the sewer lateral closest to the street in the basement.
Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA): MUST be installed on moderate-risk commercial connections. Occurs regularly in office buildings, retail and light commercial properties.
Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) assembly: Must be used with high-hazard connections. In properties where there is a direct threat that chemicals or microorganisms might get into the water supply, for example in restaurants, clinics or manufacturing.
Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB): These are usually installed on irrigation systems to prevent fertilizers or pesticides from contaminating the domestic water supply.
On the first visit our plumbers will determine the correct device. If a residential valve can do the job, you’re not going to be sold an assembly that is commercial grade.
BOS Plumbing and Drains have worked in this area long enough to know the ins and outs of each municipality’s rules and regulations for permits, as well as the common problems of the area’s infrastructure. We’re not some call centre that’s sending random crews. Contact us and you’ll find that local plumbing professionals are available with experience and knowledge of the local area.
Our plumbers in Mississauga, plumbers in Oakville, plumbers in Hamilton, plumbers in Milton, plumbers in Cambridge and plumbers throughout the GTA including Niagara plumbers service. Equal quality of service in all locations.
Our full range of plumbing and drain services includes:
BOS Plumbing is the plumbing company that answers the phone, whether you are in need of a routine backflow preventer setup or a fix at 2 AM!
20+ Years Of Local Experience: We’ve been around for long enough to have installed and serviced the plumbing systems in tens of thousands of homes and commercial properties in the GTA. This experience is reflected in each and every job.
Honest Pricing: We will provide you with a written quote before we get started. No padding for ‘what ifs’ that we’ll have to guess on your bill, plumber rates are based on the work performed at BOS.
Licensed And Insured: All installs are in compliance with Ontario Building Code. Qualified and licensed plumbing companies install backflow preventers.
Permits: We deal with them; you don’t have to deal with city offices. As the permit process can be from application to sign-off for inspection, we manage this process.
We Are Punctual: Your time is important to us. When changes are made, we call ahead.
Emergency Availability: Do you need a 24 hour plumber to repair a burst pipe or sewage backup? We’re here when you need us.
If you live in Mississauga, Oakville, Hamilton, Milton, Cambridge, Niagara or anywhere else in the GTA that you have been procrastinating, it’s now time to do it!
One installation prevents water damage to your home, your health, your insurance and your basement for the months required to fix the problem.
Give BOS Plumbing and Drains a call. We will be inspecting your home, providing you with the best solution, and will do it correctly.
Central air conditioner installation on a home with existing ductwork is typically completed in one day. Mini split installation for a single zone takes 3–5 hours. Multi-zone ductless ac installation may require a full day depending on the number of indoor units and complexity of line set routing.
For most central air conditioner installation work involving electrical connections, a permit is required. BOS manages permit requirements as part of our service, keeping you fully code-compliant without the administrative headache.
Home depot ac installation services are typically coordinated through third-party subcontractors. BOS is a direct-service, licensed HVAC and plumbing company with 20+ years of GTA experience and full accountability for every job. You work with us from quote to completion.
Mini splits AC don’t require ductwork and allow room-level temperature control. Central air conditioner installation delivers whole-home cooling through existing ducts from a single system. The right choice depends on your home’s layout, existing infrastructure, and how you want to manage cooling across different spaces.
Sometimes, system components need to be matched properly for efficiency and reliability. Our technicians will assess compatibility between existing indoor components and a new outdoor unit before recommending partial versus full system replacement.
We cover our installations with a workmanship warranty. If an issue develops that’s related to the installation, we return and resolve it at no charge. Call us directly, no third-party warranty service centres, no runaround.
