How sewer backup insurance works & why you need it

What is a sewer backup?

Sewer backup is when wastewater flows back into your house from the city’s main sewer lines. The sewage typically seeps up into your basement through your floor drains.  A sewer backup can also occur when there is a blockage in your plumbing or sewage systems.

What causes a sewer backup?

There are many ways a sewer can back up into your home, including:  

• • Heavy rains or melting snow overflowing the city’s main drains
  • A failed sump pump (e.g. power outage, no backup battery)
  • Ageing sewer systems or lines that have broken or collapsed (e.g. clay pipes)
  • Cracked or deteriorating city lines (e.g from tree roots)
  • Blockages in city sanitary lines or plumbing inside your home

Signs you may be at risk of a sewer backup

You should call a licensed plumber if you see any of the following: 

• Basement toilet backing up
• Sewage backup in bathtub
• Sewage backing up in basement drain
• Toilet won’t flush after rain and plunging doesn’t help
• Foul smell from drains
• If your toilet or sink “bubbles” more than once
• Back to back toilets clogged
• Several plumbing fixtures drain slowly (or clogged)
• The washing machine doesn’t drain or backs up into the toilet or bathtub

How to prevent a sewer backup in your basement?

It’s a multi-part answer because it depends on the problem (which is hard to figure out). So, here are some things you should do to prevent a backup, but also to prevent flooding. 

Don’t flush down the drain line

• Coffee grinds (put in green bin or garden)
• Do not pour grease down the drain. For bacon grease, fats, or cooking oils, use a separate container until it congeals, then wipe up with a paper towel and put into green bin or garbage. 
• Don’t flush paper towels, wipes (even if it says they’re flushable), diapers, cigarette butts, or feminine products down the toilet. 
• Use garbage disposal correctly – run water before and after use to wash food waste away.

Direct water away from your house

• Ensure downspouts are at least three feet away from your house (ideally six feet)
• Avoid non-porous landscaping (e.g. concrete, asphalt) and use grass or flower beds instead
• Consider rain barrels or french pits
• Ensure your downspouts and weeping tiles are not connected to the city main drain

Install a backwater valve

A sewer backup valve is like a toilet back-flow prevention device. It’s a plastic box that attaches to your main underground drain out to the city main drains. Normally, this box operates just like an extension of your drain. If the city main drain backs up, though, you’ll be happy knowing you’re protected. When enough water flows into your house, the sewer backup valve lifts up preventing any water from flowing in or out. 

A sewer backup valve should have an access point under your basement floor. If you’re in your basement, think about where all your bathrooms are – the back-flow preventer will be between the bathroom closest to the street and the street itself. 

Many Canadian cities offer subsidy programs to offset the cost of installing a backwater valve and/or sump pump in your home if you’ve had sewer backups in the past or live in a high-risk area. Here are a few of the programs offered by some of Canada’s largest cities.

City	Incentive
Toronto, ON	Subsidy of 80% of the cost of a backwater valve, to a maximum of $1,250.
Peel Region, ON	Up to $700 to install a backwater valve for qualifying properties.
Durham Region, ON	Interest-free loan of up to $3,000 to install a backwater valve.
Hamilton, ON	Up to $2,000 to install a backwater valve for qualifying properties.
Ottawa, ON	Up to $1,000 to install a backwater valve for qualifying properties.
London, ON	Up to $1,600 to install a backwater valve for qualifying properties.
Edmonton, AB	Up to $800 to install a backwater valve for qualifying properties.
Moncton, NB	$500 rebate on the installation of a new backwater valve.

Get a sump pump installed

A sump pump sucks in water into a sump pit and shoots it out into the soil below the basement. If you live in a low-lying area where you’re at high risk of flooding, it can be a lifesaver. Check them regularly, they typically last 10-15 years. A sump pump is part of a larger system that includes weeping tile and often a french drain. 

Check your sewer drains

To get ahead of potential problems, you can have a professional plumber perform a sewer line video inspection to check for things like tree roots, cracked pipes, and obstructions. The plumber can also “snake” your drain to clear them out and look for holes or obstructions like tree roots. The cost of these services ranges from $100 to $500, not including the cost of repairs.

What to do when your sewer backs up?

If sewage backs up into your basement, leave your home as soon as you can. The smell is awful and is toxic to your health. Here's a few things you should be aware of:

• Do not attempt to enter the floodwater, especially with electrical outlets nearby. 
• Don’t use any plumbing fixtures like sinks, bathtubs, or toilets until you’ve called a plumber. 
• If you can, turn off the main power via the electrical panel. 
• Contact your municipality to report the problem and to help determine its cause. 
• Once it’s safe to do so, call a plumber to install a sewer backup valve or back-flow preventer to avoid this problem from happening in the future. 
• Ask the plumber to “snake” the drain. Snaking a drain is the process of clearing a blockage from any drain from something getting lodged in the drain – either from something being improperly being flushed down the toilet, an inadequate slope on your pipe, or a crack in clay piping. 
• If your drains are made of clay, you should strongly consider having them replaced with ABS pipe as it can handle the extreme cold and is more resistant to shock. 
• If you have a sewer backup endorsement on your insurance policy, you’ll also want to call your home insurance company to submit a claim and get the mess cleaned up as soon as possible. Including any repairs to your floor, carpets, furniture, baseboards, and drywall. 

Does insurance cover sewer backup?

Standard home insurance policies do not include coverage for sewer backup, but you can choose to add it as an optional endorsement; given the rise in flood insurance claims, an insurance broker will always quote sewer backup by default, but most companies still charge extra for it. 

The cost of sewer backup insurance depends on your provider and the age and location of your house and typically ranges from $150 to $300 per year.

Note that insurance doesn’t take the place of proper maintenance. Even with coverage, you still need to make sure your sewer drains are kept clear and in good condition for insurance to apply.