Common Problem
Is it the drain or the sewer line?
By All Purpose Anytime Services LLC
A blocked sink is a drain problem. Sewage coming up a floor drain is a sewer line problem. Most cases sit somewhere in between, and the giveaway is how many fixtures are affected at the same time.
More than one fixture at once
This is the clearest sign. A tub that fills when the toilet flushes, or a basement drain that backs up when the washer empties, means the water has nowhere to go past the point where those lines meet. That point is the main line.
Gurgling from a drain nobody is using
Air being pulled through a trap. It means the line is partly blocked, or the vent is. It is an early warning, worth looking at before it backs up. It is also the cheapest point to deal with it.
Sewage smell
Inside, it can be a dry trap in a drain nobody uses. Pour water in it and see if it stops. If it does not, or the smell is outside near where the line leaves the house, the line needs looking at.
The lowest drain goes first
When the main line blocks, water backs up to the lowest opening in the house. That is usually a basement floor drain, a basement toilet or a ground floor shower. Stop running water upstairs until it is cleared.
Roots and old pipe
Mature street trees find the joints in clay and cast iron laterals. Clearing buys months. It does not buy years. The camera shows how many joints are involved and whether the pipe has cracked or sagged, which is the difference between cleaning the line and repairing it.
What to do now
- Stop using water in the house until the line is cleared
- Do not pour chemical cleaner into a main line backup
- Keep people and pets away from any sewage that has come up
- Call, or send the form if it is outside 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and we respond during business hours
When the main line backs up
My sewer line is backed up into the basement, who do I call?
A plumber for the line on your property, and the utility if the backup is coming from the public sewer. Call us 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, or send the form after hours, and a sewer backup is scheduled within 48 hours. If neighbors on the street are backing up at the same time, the trouble is probably in the public main, and that goes to DC Water, WSSC Water, Arlington County, Fairfax County or the City of Alexandria, depending on where you live. Stop using water until the line is clear.
What do I do when every drain in the house stops working at once?
Stop running water and flushing, because the next gallon comes up at the lowest drain. Every drain stopping together means the main line is blocked, so plunging one fixture won't help. Check the basement floor drain and the lowest toilet for backup, keep the washer and dishwasher off, and call to have the main cleared from a cleanout.
Is a sewage backup a health hazard for my family?
Yes. Sewage carries bacteria and viruses, and anything it soaks, such as carpet, drywall and cardboard, has to be cleaned or thrown out. Keep children and pets away from the area, wear gloves and boots if you have to go in, and wash your hands after touching anything it reached.
Think it is the main line?
Tell us which fixtures are backing up and when. The camera goes in before anything is quoted.