Flooded bathroom being dried: lifted vinyl flooring

Reading the clues

These are common patterns. A plumber with a camera confirms the cause.

  • IfWater rises in the floor drain when the washer drains or a toilet flushes upstairsThenThe main sewer line between the house and the street is likely blocked.
  • IfOne fixture drains slowly and nothing comes up the floor drainThenThe blockage is probably in that fixture's branch line, not the main.
  • IfWater comes up during a heavy storm even when nobody is using waterThenStorm water may be getting into the sewer system. Ask the plumber and your sanitation provider about a backwater valve.
  • IfBackups keep coming back after the line is clearedThenAsk for a camera inspection. Roots, offset joints or a sagging section may need repair, not just cleaning.

Why older lines back up

Houses from the 1950s and 1960s commonly had clay or cast iron sewer laterals, the private line running from the house to the public main. Clay joints let tree roots in, and Lakewood's mature street trees have had decades to find them. Cast iron corrodes and scales inside. Either one can narrow until grease, wipes or paper catch and plug the line.

The floor drain shows the backup first because it's the lowest drain in the house. Everything flushed or drained upstairs heads down to the blocked line, has nowhere to go, and rises at the lowest opening.

What to do, in order

  1. Stop all water use

    Tell everyone: no flushing, showers, dishwasher or laundry until the line is clear.

  2. Call a plumber or drain service

    Clearing the line comes first. Once it's open, ask for a camera inspection.

  3. Call your insurer

    Policies often cover sewer backup only with a specific endorsement. Ask what applies to you.

  4. Document the damage

    Photograph the drain, the water level and the affected materials before cleanup starts.

  5. Get it cleaned up properly

    Contaminated porous materials come out, hard surfaces get cleaned and disinfected, and the area gets dried.

Making another backup less likely

  • Ask whether a backwater valve makes sense for your line and whether it needs a permit.
  • Keep grease, wipes and paper towels out of the drains.
  • Schedule a camera inspection if the house has original clay or cast iron lines and big trees nearby.
  • Keep the floor drain grate clear, and don't store boxes over it.
  • Ask your sanitation district whether the public main on your street has a history of problems.

General information for Lakewood, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.