The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and ULC Standards have announced the development of a Joint National Standard for balloon-type ball backwater valves. The development of this joint Canada-U.S. standard is the first of its kind in the plumbing and heating sector.

SCC and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) support cooperation between SDOs in Canada and the U.S. to develop and maintain joint standards. ULC Standards, an SCC-accredited Standards Development Organization (SDO), has been selected to develop this standard. They will work with UL Standards, an SDO accredited by both SCC and ANSI.

Balloon-type ball backwater valves operate as an automated device. When the sensor detects a sewer backup, the control panel inflates the balloon bladder to effectively and quickly seal off the sanitary waste pipe. This prevents sewage from potentially causing extensive flood damage to basements, thereby saving homeowners thousands of dollars in damage.

The standard will also allow for a retrofit device to be installed in the existing sanitary waste piping without the extensive and costly excavation of a home’s concrete floor that is currently required. With the increased incidence of flood risk and the cost of installing backwater valves, especially in residential retrofits, this product will have a valuable impact in both the Canadian and U.S. marketplace.

In 2014, a selection panel of Canada-U.S. industry representatives, including members of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH), concluded that a Joint National Standard for balloon-type ball backwater valves would benefit the most Canadian and American customers.