SERVING 
When there’s sewage backup in your basement floor drain, you will probably smell it before you see it. If you just opened the door to your basement only to be met with a pungent odor of raw sewage, you know how urgent this situation is.
Sewage backing up into your basement is a serious problem. In addition to possibly causing property damage, it presents a health hazard to all occupants of your home.
And it stinks. Bad.
But don’t worry! There’s a way to solve this problem, clean up the mess, and reduce your chances of having a backed up floor drain in the future.
Why is sewage backing up in the basement floor drain?
Let’s consider why this happens in the first place. Sewage backups don’t come out of nowhere. There’s always a reason, and it usually has to do with a clog in the sewer drain line or damage to the line itself.
Some of the most common reasons for a sewage backup in your basement include:
- Problems in the main sewer line: All sorts of things can go wrong with the main sewer drain line. In the case of older lines, it’s very common for tree roots to break through the pipes, cause leaks, and prevent water from flowing properly. This situation can cause sewage backups in basement floor drains. Other times, a heavy storm can overwhelm the system with water, leading to a sewage backup.
- Clogs in the drain line: Lots of different items can clog up your sewer line. Cooking grease is a common culprit. Many people pour it down the drain, where it hardens inside pipes and clogs them. Other people flush things like paper towels or wet wipes down the toilet. These items will lodge within the pipes and harden over time, leading to clogs and sewage backups. Even the wipes labeled “flushable” are bad for plumbing systems! Please do not flush them!
What to do when you have sewage coming out of your basement drain
First things first. Please don’t panic! This can be a scary, disgusting problem. But it’s also very solvable. So take a deep breath. Relax. You’ve got this.
You will need to ensure nobody in your house, pets included, enters the area where sewage has pooled. If possible – and if you can do so safely – you can also cut the power running to the area so that no live currents come in contact with water or sewage.
Next, cut off the main water supply to your home and notify your local water utility of the problem. You will not be able to use sinks, toilets, or showers in your home until the problem is fixed, so you may need to make lodging arrangements. Feel free to open windows to ventilate the space and consider pouring some bleach into the pooled sewage to disinfect it.
Ready to clear a clog in your sewer line? A plumber can help.
After taking the above steps, it’s time to call in a professional. A licensed plumber can assess the situation to determine the best course of action. If the clog is local (i.e. near the drain itself), the solution might be as simple as sending a plumber’s snake down the line to bust the clog.
However, many sewage backups are caused by deeper clogs. If that’s the case, your plumber may need to use a hydrojet to break up the clog and stop the backup.
Do you need to replace your sewer line?
If tree roots have damaged your home’s sewer line, you may need to replace it. Many old sewer lines used a cast iron and clay construction. These types of sewer lines are vulnerable to damage from tree roots and other environmental hazards.
By replacing the old lines with PVC lines, you can reduce the risk of this problem from happening in the future. Today’s PVC sewer lines are much stronger than the old type and less susceptible to damage from tree roots.
Keep in mind that homeowners are often responsible for sewer line repair, not the city or town. The exception would be damage to the sewer main, which is typically the city’s responsibility.
The aftermath: How to clean the affected area
Be sure to wear gloves and rubber boots while attempting to clean an area that came into contact with sewage. Place any solids in a plastic garbage bag for disposal. You will also want to throw out anything that came into contact with the sewage.
Use rags, a sponge, and hot, soapy water to thoroughly clean the floors and/or walls that came into contact with the sewage. After cleaning in this way, scrub the affected area with a bleach solution. This will disinfect the space and reduce or eliminate any lingering noxious odors.
How to prevent basement drain backups in the future
While it may not be possible to completely eliminate the possibility of a sewage backup in your basement floor drain, there are things you can do to keep your risk to a minimum:
- If the main sewer line was damaged, have it replaced with PVC piping.
- Avoid flushing paper towels, wet wipes, feminine hygiene products, or anything other than human waste and toilet paper.
- Avoid dumping cooking oil down any drain. Instead, you can set it out too cool and/or harden and throw it in the garbage.
Are you experiencing sewage backup in your home? Get in touch today!
At PV, our team can help you identify the cause of any sewage backup, perform the appropriate repair or pipe replacement, and get your home (and your life!) back to normal again.
To schedule service, simply call us at (470) 231-0076 today or fill out the form on this page!
