Basement Drain Cover Battle Of The Brands

Basement Drain Cover Does Your One Need Replacing?

Not a sexy subject, that’s for sure. But your basement drain cover is one of those forgotten about items that serve a purpose in your household. Look at the image above and you’ll probably turn up your nose at that. Old, worn, and rusted. It looks ugly so say the least.

 

 

Floor drains do exactly as the name implies. They drain liquids from your floor. If you have a basement, you’ll most likely have a washing machine in there. Maybe a dryer too, if you’ve got the space. So it’s good to keep these drain covers clean and free from blockages.

Designed to clear away excess water, they work on the principle of gravity. The flowing water is moved naturally by gravity. As the drain is ( or should be ) installed at the lowest point of the house, the water naturally heads for this point. This means that the water and liquids will fall through the drain and into the sewer or septic tank. This also prevents flooding in the basement, should the washing machine leak, or have problems such as blockages and backing up. Also if your HVAC has issues such as condensation or worse still your home springs a leak after a storm. Nothing worse than rainwater finding its way into your house through cracks in the walls.

Looking After Yours

Over time, chemicals, etc can start to cause corrosion or rust. This means the cover doesn’t look clean or sanitized any more. An old, rusty cover looks unsightly, to say the least. This is why it’s important to keep these clean. Ensure blockages are quickly removed. This helps encourage excess water to drain away but also helps minimize the discoloring and rust. Ensure the branch line, also called a secondary drain line is correctly installed.  This is where your water runs to get to your storm sewer or wastewater outlet.

 

Cast iron strainers are the best suited material. Ensure you buy one at least ¼” thick, but double check the diameter.  Another important factor is to ensure they’re epoxy-coated to help prevent corrosion-resistance. A basement drain cover should last many years and is one of the items in your house you’ll never get mechanical problems with.

 

We have tested a couple of brands that specialize in these products. The Sioux Chief 7″ Cast Iron Grate Floor Drain Cover which is a brand leader and also the Aqva 8 inch Cast Iron Drain Cover.

Now, this is a little bit tongue in cheek. The main difference between these couple of products is the size. One is 7″ diameter while the other is 8″. Obviously, you need to ensure you order the correct size.

 

Unlike our other product tests and reviews, there’s not much more to say on these products. They will not need replacement parts, nor specialist additional components. They don’t need electricity or gas to power them. All in all, they are a boring topic, but one that homes need to consider.