Sewage sump failures and check valves

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thewwkayaker

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My house is below grade thus all sewage wastes go through a sewage sump system.
I have a full suite in the basement.
If there is a power failure I and my tenants know NOT to flush/drain anything so that's not a concern.
As the system works with a float to turn on/off the power to the sump it has twice been stuck (held down) by "debris".
The lowest point in the system is the tenants toilet and tub then the sinks.
When the system failed, it caused the toilet to backup and flood out - yes a major problem.

I'm looking at solutions that will prevent, on a failure, such an event. I plan to install an alarm system however that doesn't help if a) a large amount of water is draining (e.g. laundry or dish washer, tub) and no one hears it (no one is present - less likely with tub but...) b) alarm fails to go

I'm now thinking that a check valve on the toilet leg might work. If the tenants tub fills then no problem as it's large enough to hold most of any backup and even if the alarm failed to go would be noticed by the tenants hopefully in time.

Questions:

Would it work? Given that sinks are higher than the tub would the tub fill without causing the sinks to backup? Would I need a check valve the sinks?

Alarms: what is the best alarm system that could be installed.

What else can be done?

Given that it fails rarely and other than one time when the switch itself failed (I replaced it) I'm dealing with a possible problem that can occur but isn't (as far as I can tell) preventable.


Thanx for any help!
 

MikePlummer

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going to a two pump system may be a better option than "check valves". if you wish to "check valve" then you want to use a backwater valve that is normally open to allow for proper system venting and less chance of blockage. I would highly recommend the 2 pump system and use top quality pumps
 

thewwkayaker

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Thanx for your reply but I have yet to find anyone selling a 2 pump system because the sewage pumps are so large (to be able to grind up "stuff") there wouldn't but much room anyway. In addition it hasn't been that the pump failed but the switch failed to rise high enough (blocked) thus failing to turn on the pump thus it wouldn't solve my problem (I guess if it had it's own float switch however with another pump in the sump I'm not sure how any float switch wouldn't get stuck).

Basically I've never read about any sewage (not a water sump) pump that had a backup actual pump. There are lots of backup systems for "grey" water effluent pumps systems but not sewage pumps. I have read about alarm systems using a float switch but that's only half the problem solved.
 

hj

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Your only REAL prevention is a dual pump system with all the "bells and whistles", but for what you now have, you need a float switch to turn on an alarm so you know the system is flooding. Ideally, it should also operate a water valve so NO WATER COULD BE USED in the building until it was repaired. That would take care of any problems that occurred when no one was home to shut off the water.
 
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