Why a Floor Drain Backup May Occur
- Cleaning and maintenance Another common floor drain issue is if the sump under the grating is not cleaned out periodically. ...
- Sump pump failure A sump pump is a piece of mechanical equipment, and not invulnerable to damage. ...
- Drain pipe failure
What causes a basement floor drain to backup?
A basement floor drain backup is almost never caused by a clog in the basement floor drain itself. In every home, the basement floor drain connects to the main drain line.
What happens when a main drain line backs up?
So, with the main drain backing up, wastewater will continue to build up in the line until it overflows and backs up out of the floor drain. For homes that don’t have a basement floor drain, drain line clogs can cause backups in the lowest fixtures of the home, like ground-level tubs, sinks, or showers.
Why is water coming out of my floor drain?
In most cases water gurgling out of a floor drain is caused by a clog further down the line of your house drain system. In any room, except a garage with a trench drain, a floor drain is connected to the plumbing system. If proper pitch is not available a sump pump may have to be utilized.
Is a floor drain a sewer backup?
A sewer backup can be deceiving. Because a floor drain is located at the lowest point in a drain system, it is the first place a backup will be visible, but not necessarily the point of the clog. Typically waste water backing up out of a floor drain is not a floor drain backup.
How do you stop a floor drain from backing up?
If you do not have a backwater valve, plugs with backflow devices can be installed in floor drains. These plugs have a ball or float that will stop water or sewage from backing up into a home while permitting water to flow into the drain. These plugs can be left in place year-round.
What causes basement floor drain to back up?
Basement Floor Drain Backing up: Water The cause of water backing up in your basement drain could be due to the backing up of a washtub basin or a washing machine, tree roots in the drain line, pipe deterioration, or the flushing of improper objects.
Can you put Drano down a floor drain?
Can you put Drano in a basement floor drain? Yes, Drano is safe to put down most drains. If one bottle does not clear the sewage backup you will need to use a plumber's snake.
How do I clear my basement floor drain?
Try a Plunger: A minor clog should clear after a few strong pumps with a plunger. Place the plunger cup so it completely covers the drain opening, and then go for it! Baking Soda & Vinegar: Plunger didn't do the trick? Try pouring baking soda down the drain, then chase it with a healthy amount of white vinegar.
How often should floor drains be cleaned?
Two to four times a yearTwo to four times a year, give your floor drains some additional attention. Check for any trapped hair or debris, then use the clog removal techniques above to ensure you don't have a developing clog. Alternatively, flush your drain with a baking soda and vinegar solution to clear excess particles.
How do you unclog a floor drain without a snake?
Start by pouring a pot of boiling hot water down the drain, followed by ½ cup baking soda. Let that sit a few minutes, then pour a mixture of one cup of vinegar and one cup of very hot water on top of the baking soda. Let it sit for five to ten minutes, then flush it one last time with another pot of boiling water.
How do you flush a floor drain?
Pour the vinegar down the drain to kill the accumulated bacteria and eliminate the sewer gas odors. Let that sit for 10 minutes. Flush the vinegar with more boiling water, and then repeat the entire process several times until the drain is sufficiently clean and odor free.
How do you snake a floor drain?
2:337:10How to use a drain snake - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUnlock it pull it out lock. It turn it and push unlock it pull it out lock it. And turn it and pushMoreUnlock it pull it out lock. It turn it and push unlock it pull it out lock it. And turn it and push you just keep repeating this over. And over again. Until you think you're past the clog.
Why do plumbers hate Drano?
Because of its corrosive nature, Drano can cause toilet bowls to crack, PVC pipes to melt or break and the glue that holds pipes together can be eaten away. If any of these things happen, you're going to be left with an inoperable plumbing system and costly repairs.
When should you not use Drano?
You can use Drano® Clog Removers to unclog a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower or clogged bathtub, but DO NOT use them in toilets. For clogged or slow-running drains, apply the product and let it work 15 minutes, then flush with hot water.
Will Drano hurt PVC pipes?
Drano damages plumbing systems. PVC pipes can soften and eventually break. Old, corroded pipes can be easily damaged, and Drano can quickly eat away at the glue holding pipes together.
How do I stop my basement drain from backing up?
The best way to prevent a basement drain from backing up is to install a reverse valve that prevents water from coming back through the drain.
Why does my floor drain back up?
Floor drains can also back up when clogs lie deeper in a home’s plumbing system, like somewhere in the sewer line. Similar to drain line clogs, sewer line clogs will stop the flow of wastewater. With nowhere to go, wastewater will back up until it finds the nearest release point, which will be a floor drain or the lowest drain in a home.
Why does my basement drain backup?
In fact, backups in a basement floor dra in are usually a symptom of another problem in your plumbing system.
What does it mean to test plumbing fixtures?
Testing your plumbing fixtures: Turning different fixtures on and off can give a plumber firsthand information about how your system is acting (or acting up) as water flows through the drain and sewer line system.
How to prevent backups in floor drain?
Following repair service, the best way to avoid future backups in your floor drain is with regular drain cleaning maintenance service. If your sewer lines are in good shape, routine drain cleaning service will keep your lines clear, free of the buildups that can clog and stop up your system.
What happens when wastewater goes through the floor drain?
That’s because, as the lowest drain in your home, the floor drain will be the first place that wastewater can go when it can’t flow to the main drain and sewer line. So, with the main drain backing up, wastewater will continue to build up in the line until it overflows and backs up out of the floor drain. For homes that don’t have ...
What questions do plumbers ask?
Asking you questions: A plumber will ask how long the problem has been going on, whether it’s happened before, whether the backup has a foul odor, and whether it gets worse when you’re using plumbing fixtures. The answers to these questions can help narrow down whether you’re dealing with a drain line or sewer line problem.
How to contact Len the Plumber?
Call Len The Plumber at 800-950-4619 or contact us online to schedule service now!
How is a floor drain connected to a plumbing system?
How a Floor Drain Is Connected To Plumbing. In any room, except a garage with a trench drain, a floor drain is connected to the plumbing system. If proper pitch is not available a sump pump may have to be utilized. A floor drain has a sump pit underneath the grating.
Where is the floor drain located?
Where a Floor Drain Is Located. A typical residential basement has at least one floor drain, usually located near water fixtures such as a hot water heater, or clothes washer. The basement in a typical commercial building needs more floor drains because it has to handle a potentially larger volume of wastewater.
What is a drain in a garage?
A garage, particularly those used for automotive repair, needs a large floor drain to get rid of grease and fuel spilled on the floor. Instead of using residential-grade round or small square strainer, a floor drain in a garage is usually made of a narrow yet long trench in the floor (trench drain). Commercial garages may require an oil or grease separator. It is more difficult and expensive to install, but a properly designed commercial floor drain works best to control not only water, but also chemicals, oil, grease, or petroleum spills. A trench drain, or typical floor drain, intended for rain water may lead to a dry well. From which the wastewater will be absorbed into the ground.
How does a sump pump work?
A sump pump equipped with a pressure sensor relies on the pressure generated by water inside the sump pit. As it reaches the threshold, the pump activates and does its job. With a float sensor, there is a buoyant ball that always floats above wastewater. When the water reaches a certain height, the buoyant ball moves up and operates a lever/arm that turns on the pump. A manually operated sump pump is still available, but it is not very common or practical. Those that work automatically usually have options for manual activation, too. In case the sensor fails, a homeowner can still use the sump pump.
Why do you need a sump pump?
A sump pump is typically required for a floor drain when there is a lack of pitch, of when it is used for dewatering when ground water is present. Perhaps the most common problem with a sump pump involves the float switch. In many cases the pump and switch are routinely under water, or surrounded by silt or debris.
What is a water drain in a basement?
To prevent wastewater or surface water from flooding the basement, a water-draining plumbing fixture is placed at the lowest spot in the floor. That fixture is commonly known as a floor drain. From time to time a floor drain backup can occur.
What does a floor drain look like?
Trench type floor drain. Without the strainer or grate cover, a floor drain will just look like a big hole in the floor. Besides preventing large pieces of debris, or hard physical objects from entering the drain, the strainer also prevents physical injury. The cover can also stop unwanted pests, such as rodents.
What does it mean when water backs up from a floor drain?
When water backs up out of a floor drain, it usually means there is a clog in the drain line, not the floor drain itself. When there is a clog in the main building drain and water is run down a drain from an upper fixture, water will back up in the drain line until it finds somewhere else to come out. That’ll be the lowest fixture.
Why does sewage back up into my house?
In some cases, sewage can back up into a home due to problems with the city sewer. There’s not much that can be done to guard against that, short of using a backwater valve at your floor drain. Some floor drains have backwater devices built in, such as the one shown below, but this is not a plumbing code requirement.
Is a backwater valve a failsafe?
They’re better than nothing, but they’re certainly not a failsafe. The Family Handyman has a nice write-up on their website showing how to add a backwater valve to an existing floor drain: https://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/drain-repair/modify-a-floor-drain-to-prevent-flooding/view-all/.
Why does my basement drain back up?
A basement floor drain backing up is usually due to wastewater looking for a place to escape when there is a problem with the sewer line. The drain connects to the main sewer line. The water seeks the lowest point in the home, and that is the basement. However, this backup is often not even related to the wastewater, but instead to other issues.
What to do if you have a backup in your basement drain?
Call a professional if you are unsure what is causing a backup in the basement floor drain. If it is something that you can fix, that is great! If not, contact a professional. Sometimes issues will disguise themselves and you need to find out what the real problem is. Messing around with plumbing and drain lines is something that may need to be left to a professional.
How to clear a clogged drain in a bathroom?
Then, run warm water in the drain for a couple of minutes. Repeat the steps of the plunger and the water if the clog remains.
How to fix a leaking drain trap?
How to fix it: Add water to the drain and the trap and this should help. If the trap is missing, you will need to have one added. A professional can help figure out the issue.
What is a washtub basin?
A washtub basin is in the basement or laundry room and looks like a sink and used for soaking clothes. It could be that sediment and debris have clogged the drain. A washing machine can have the same issue, but it may be in the hose.
Why does my basement smell like a shower?
You might have a shower in the bathroom in the basement that smells and it can be due to a P-trap that is dirty or missing to name a few.
What to do if a sump pump is backing up?
However, you will probably need to mop up the mess or use a shop vac. In addition, depending on what is in the backup, you will need to sanitize the area .
What causes a basement floor drain to back up?
June 28, 2021. A basement floor drain backup is almost never caused by a clog in the basement floor drain itself. In every home, the basement floor drain connects to the main drain line. Therefore, it’s a main sewer line clog that almost almost always causes the floor drain to back up. In fact, main drain line clogs cause 99% of floor drain backups.
Why is my basement floor drain clogged?
Because the basement floor drain is the lowest opening in the home’s drainage system, sewage and water coming up from the basement floor drain backup is a sign that your home has a main sewer line clog. And the potentially expensive water damage that results is a plumbing emergency that needs to be dealt with immediately.
What Causes a Main Drain Clog?
So, how do tree roots get into the sewer line and cause a main sewer line clog? Great question.
Why does my main sewer line clog more often?
As it gets closer to that expiration date , you can experience more frequent main sewer line clogs and, therefore, more basement floor drain backups.
What happens when a pipe rusts?
As the inside walls of the pipe rust, the pipe becomes smaller and smaller. This decreases the amount of liquid that can flow through the pipe. If the main drain is given more than it can handle, the liquid will up up through the basement floor drain. The rust and build-up on the inside of the pipe is extremely rough.
Why is there a lot of water in basement drains?
The high volume of water helps flush all of the gunk and nastiness out of the main drain line , eliminating your problem with basement floor drain backups.
Can you replace a sewer line without digging?
Pipe lining – or trenchless sewer replacement – is a good way to replace the pipe without digging. This is a great solution when digging is not feasible or desired by the property owner. Keep in mind, digging up and replacing the pipe is usually less expensive than pipe lining.
Why does my drain back up?
FAULTY APPLIANCES. If there is a problem with an appliance, it may cause the rest of the drain to back up. This is most commonly caused by appliances that use a lot of water, such as washing machines and dishwashers.
Why is my basement sewer backup?
If you have a basement, you are particularly susceptible to a backup because the sewer pipes will most likely be at the same level as (or below) the basement. Any blockage in the system will prevent water from flowing down the pipes, and you’ll experience a backup.
Why do old pipes warp?
This leads to materials in the pipes eventually becoming blocked and therefore leading to backups, as water cannot drain down the pipes as quickly as it should. If you have extended your home or added bathrooms or showers, then your plumbing may need updating to deal with the added volume.
What to do if water is backed up in basement?
that if you notice water in your basement – or anywhere in your home – and you suspect a backed-up drain, the first place you should look is the basement floor drain. This is by far the most common source of water when it comes to flooding. After all, if this drain is not blocked, then it will usually siphon off excess water from another blocked drain. It’s when this is backed up too that you have real problems.
What to do if there is a backup in your drain?
Below is a checklist of steps to take if you notice that there is a backup in your drain: 1. Get everyone safe. Although a backed-up drain may not seem like a dangerous situation, if you have small children, any standing water at all can be dangerous. Similarly, if you have electrical appliances that are in the water, ...
What to do if neighbors are having the same plumbing problems?
Check to see whether your neighbors are experiencing the same problems. If they are, the fault most likely lies with the city plumbing. If not, the problem is with your private plumbing. If the latter, you’ll need to call a plumber yourself. If the former, you will need to call the city.
How to stop water from leaking in drain?
Use a stopper or a plug to close the drains and prevent further water leaking in. You should aim to do this all the drains on the lowest level of your home – even ones that are not yet leaking.
Why does the floor drain stay dry?
The floor drain joins the house drain, which is located under your basement. It usually stays dry because it’s there to drain excess water from your basement.
Why is there a drain backlog in my basement?
This is when you have a drain backlog in your basement. It’s possible that the cause is your washtub basin. Cleaning the strainer on the drain input may be a faster fix if you do it yourself.
What causes a basement drain to backup?
Drain backups occur when hair, soap scum, and other debris plug the drains in your basement. By utilizing drain care solutions on a daily basis, it will surprisingly be easy to avoid.
What is the purpose of a plunger in a trap?
You may use a plunger to remove the sediment and debris from the trap beneath the basin. A snake auger may be necessary for the absence of a plunger. Or the trap may need to be removed and cleaned.
How much does it cost to unclog a drain?
Answer: Unclogging a drain can cost anywhere from $75 to $550. This depends on hourly rates, accessibility, severity, and the reason for the clog.
What is the worst drainage problem?
Basements are likely to have the worst drainage problems. If your basement is frequently flooding or waterlogging, it’s time to address the issue.
Why does my shower smell like a stale mess?
You could have a stinky shower in the basement bathroom. This might be caused by a filthy or missing p-trap or s-trap, to name a few possibilities.
