Underground Drainage Basement Floordrain 100mm Valve

KESSEL - Backwater Protection

What causes a sewer system to overflow?

Heavy rainfalls often supply large quantities of water in short periods of time which can cause sewage systems to flood. As soon as the capacity of an existing sewage system is exceeded the excess water will flood any below grade void which is attached to the sewage piping (such as manholes, drywells, inspection chambers, domestic / industrial sewage pipes) and eventually spill out of the tops of manholes and onto the surrounding surface.

What causes basements to flood?

Since most basements and below grade areas are connected to the sewage system with gravity fed wastewater pipes - this also offers an open void for the surcharge of excess water to fill. As the excess water continues to rise it will backflow through all wastewater piping and overflow out of all unprotected below grade floor drains, showers, sinks, bathtubs etc. In essence any unprotected area located below ground level (also known as the 'backwater level') will be flooded.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Prevention is the key to protecting against backwater flooding. The requirement by nearly all national and international drainage codes that below grade fixtures are protected by an appropriate backwater valve emphasizes this case. Kessel backwater prevention products are all corrosion free and thus provide extremely long life in terms of their function and also aesthetic look. High quality materials and manufacturing offer easy use and 100 % watertightness. Vertically adjustable upper sections provide easy match up to final floor elevations in the installation area.

KESSEL offers multiple backwater valves to fit the customer's needs such as the Staufix SWA for wastewater lines not containing faeces or the fully automated Staufix FKA which is designed for installation in wastewater lines with raw sewage (connected to a toilet). KESSEL cleanouts and non-automated backwater valves can be upgraded to fully automated backwater valves (such as the Staufix FKA or Pumpfix F) according to EN 13564 and DIN 1986-100.

Pumpfix F in a free hanging / suspended pipe	Staufix FKA for underground (finished floor) installation	Inspection chamber with backwater protection