Kessel Products – Backwater Valves

Protect your property from flooding through the drainage system

Properties can become flooded by wastewater backing up through the connection to the foul sewer or rainwater drainage system. This is called backwater and can cause significant damage.  There are a number of ways in which this may happen:

• The public sewer systems become blocked and the wastewater has nowhere to go except to escape through connections from properties.
• During a period of heavy rainfall, the public sewer is overwhelmed and cannot handle all of the flow coming into it so it is pushed out under pressure through sewer connections from properties
• There is a general flooding event due to heavy rainfall or tidal issues. Flood barriers may be protecting the building above ground but flood water entering the sewer can find its way into the building though the drains.

Buildings with basements are particularly exposed to this issue but your property may be at risk if it is constructed at a low level relative to the sewer or road. Properties built in areas prone to flooding should have protection installed on the drainage systems. You may also want to consider backwater protection if the sewers in your area back up on a regular basis.

Backwater Protection Systems

There are a number of ways that your property can be protected from backwater. The most comment method is the installation of non-return valves on the drain between the building and each sewer connection from the property. When backwater returns through the drain it is stopped by the closed valve and cannot flood back up to the building. This protects the property.

Some of these valves are normally open, others are normally closed but the most important thing is that they are closed when backwater occurs. Valves that are normally closed may not be ideal as they might slow down flow in the drain and cause blockages or the flap may get caught up with debris and not close when you need it to.

These may be installed internally or externally depending on the design of the property. For instance, buildings with basements may need to install the system there as excavation externally would be very expensive.

Kessel Backwater Protection

Kessel are leaders in the development of backwater protection systems with more than 55 years’ experience  in the development, manufacture and supply of drainage products. We provide a wide range of backwater protection systems from basic systems such as the Staufix Basic through to advanced products such as the Staufix FKA with normally open flaps which are closed automatically by motor along with a control panel with alarms.

Kessel products are designed with great consideration given to ease of installation and maintenance. Internal components can be accessed easily for maintenance without any need for tools using the quick release closures. The products are built using plastic which means that rust is not an issue. Components are modular and certain models can be upgraded later. There are options to have the units mounted above ground if the pipe is exposed in a basement or within integrated chambers for internal or external locations.

Kessel have taken backwater protection to the next level with the range of hybrid lifting stations. These products allow the drains within the building to remain in operation even when the valve is closed by pumping  wastewater through to the flooded drain downstream. This keeps the property dry and operational with minimal disruption.