A backed-up floor drain can be a real headache, but it can happen more often than one might think. A common assumption when a floor drain backs up is that it is clogged. But the root of the problem may reside somewhere else in your plumbing system. The most common drain that will experience a backup is your basement floor drain since it is the lowest drain in your home. Your basement floor drain is the overflow location if there anything blocks wastewater from properly exiting your home into the sewer line as it should. If you have standing water in your basement or a floor drain backup, call in the professionals for an inspection and service.
Cranney Home Services has over 35 years of plumbing expertise and can diagnose your floor drain issue quickly. Call 978-750-6900 to schedule an inspection and repair today!
A Little About Your Basement Floor Drain
Let’s talk about gravity. When a home drain line clogs, the wastewater exits your basement floor drain first. Why? Because this is the lowest drain in your home and water can’t climb up and over blockages in a pipe. So, it goes down. When your main drain is clogged, wastewater accumulates until it overflows and comes out of the floor drain.
The same concept applies to houses that don’t have basements. Backup overflow still comes from the home’s lowest drain, such as in a garage, ground-level shower, tub, or sink.
What Causes Floor Drain Backups?
The cause of a floor drain backup could stem from a variety of reasons. Some of the most common include:
- Clogs
- Buildup in pipes from grease or items that you shouldn’t have flushed (paper towels, single-use wipes, certain feminine products, etc.)
- Sewer line cracks/holes
- Sewer lines damaged by tree roots
- A collapsed or bellied sewer line
Regardless of the cause of the sewer line blockage, the clog won’t allow wastewater to exit your house properly, resulting in floor drain backups. A plumbing technician must address the cause of the blockage before the wastewater can flow properly. Some backup causes are more complicated to fix than others. It all depends on what is going on in your plumbing system.
How To Diagnose the Source of a Basement Floor Drain Backup
Finding the source of your basement floor drain backup is not a DIY job. Call on a licensed, trained, and certified plumbing technician to isolate the issue without too much disruption to your home. When diagnosing the source of your issue, you can expect your plumbing technician to:
- Gather information on the problem. The first thing an experienced plumber will do is ask you a series of questions to get the full scope of the issue. Questions such as: When did the problem start? Is the first occurrence of the problem? Have you noticed any bad smells? Does the problem get worse when you run other home plumbing fixtures?
- Inspection and testing. After the plumber has gathered all the information they need, they will test and inspect your plumbing system and drains.
- Conduct a video camera pipe inspection. The most important part of this diagnosis process will be the video camera pipe inspection which gives your plumber an inside look at your pipes and lines.
After your plumber gathers all the needed information, they can make a repair recommendation based on their findings.
Common Repairs to Fix a Basement Floor Drain Backup
Prevent Future Floor Drain Backups with Regular Maintenance
Call to Schedule a Drain Cleaning Service & Inspection
Being too careful rarely backfires. If it has been a while since you had your drain lines cleaned and inspected, schedule yours today! Cranney Home Services is a Nexstar Gold member, trained to deliver value-driven services and integrity with every service visit. A 100% satisfaction guarantee backs our work so our customers can have confidence in what they are getting.
Experience the Cranney difference by contacting us online or calling 978-750-6900. Schedule drain cleaning and a drain line inspection today!