Finished Basement Floor Drain Overflow!

[garyl53]

Hi,
I finished our basement about 7 years ago. There is a utility room that has the FHA gas furnace, a 50 gal gas hot water heater and it has a floor drain. The AC cooler unit condensation drain is piped to drain into the floor drain. Several times over the past few years the main sewer line has slowed or backed up and, of course, overflowed at the floor drain soaking the carpet outside of the utility room and creating a mess. I assume the drain is required in case the hot water heater leaks and for the AC drain.

Is there any solution that would reduce the risk of water backing up into the basement. Is there a device that can prevent backflow into the basement but still allow it to act as a drain during normal operation?
Thanks,
Gary

 

[Patrick88]

I assume your main drain is backing up because you have a main drain problem? If that is the case then you should dig it up and upgrade it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[garyl53]

I think I "had" a main drain problem however it appears to have been cleared out and is flowing quite well. The reason for my question is that I would like to prevent the flooding from the floor drain should the main drain have a problem in the future. I would much rather have the basement shower or toilet back up (but at least contained) than having water damage to carpet, etc.
Anyone heard of a backflow device for a floor drain?
Gary

 

[Markts30]

If you are not against some concrete chipping and finishing...
Look into "back water valves"
They are check valves for waste systems.

 

[Patrick88]

Well I would put in a back water valve. The one problem with that is when your drain does back up it will over flow your shower and flood that bathroom real fast.

 

[garyl53]

Thanks.
I just looked for "Backwater" valves and sure enough I found a few rather inexpensive devices that can be fitted into the existing drains. I relaize that if there is a back up it would back into the shower or toilet. I would rather that (with tiled floors, etc.) than carpet.
Thanks for the name of these devices.
Gary