Ball Check Valve in a Toilet Is Mixing Backflow

Ball Check Operation

• Ball check valves are toilet and sewage system components made from metal or PVC. The valve uses a ball-like mouth that must be forced open by the water exiting the system. This wastewater can only move one way. The ball locks back into place in the unit to prevent any of the waste from slipping backwards. It is a simple device and typically effective, but problems can arise.

Old Valve

• Ball valves do not last forever. The ball design lends the valve weight and a well distributed seal, which keeps the valve efficient, but eventually even this design can fail. The valve brackets that hold the ball in place can start to fail, corrosion can set in, and eventually the valve will stop closing properly and allow backflow.

Broken Valve

• If the valve is new but still allows sewage backflow, it is most likely defective and has become stuck open or completely loose so the ball does not settle back into the valve properly. Severe backflow issues may indicate a serious problem with the valve. Broken stems, seal damage or even damage to the ball itself will all ruin its sealing capability. Replacing the ball check valve entirely should fix the problem.

Valve Clogs

• Sometimes wastewater flows through a ball flow, but some of the waste becomes clogged between the ball and its socket. The ball cannot fully close the valve and allows some backflow to seep back through. In this case the valve does not usually need to be replaced, but it does need to be taken out, thoroughly cleaned then reinstalled.