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How to Resolve Basement Floor Drain Backup

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Marcin from ExpressRooter, the official contractor for Mike Holmes, is here to address some of the common questions that many homeowners ask about floor drain backup.

How to Resolve Basement Floor Drain Backup

There are a ton of questions that flow through our mind when we’re suddenly faced with any plumbing issue, especially floor drain backup. With an unruly floor drain that’s inexplicably backing up with water or worse, it gets stressful! If your basement floor drain backs up when toilet is flushed, or there is sewer backup in basement, watch the video to learn more. 

Here’s a short list of how to fix a backed up floor drain. Learn how to fix sewer backup in basement, or more floor drain backup issues. Check out our video above for more. Watch how Marcin explains in depth how your basement floor drain works.  

Understanding why your floor drain backs up

Understanding the basics of why your drain may be backing up is the first step towards solving this soggy problem. In most cities, a main sanitary line that runs underneath your basement floor is connected to the city’s waterlines. These lines take up all the discharge water from your house. Problems can arise when the line is affected by buildups from grease or dense tree root clumps. Any of these are usually the reason that drains can backup. Your basement floor drain is usually the first to be affected, as the flow takes the path of least resistance. If you have other fixtures in the basement such as a laundry sink or toilet, these can be affected too. The water will have more resistance coming through those fixtures than the floor drain. 

How to fix basement floor drain backup

Now that you have an idea of why your basement is swampy, here’s how to help solve the issue. As difficult as it may seem to fix something like this, there are only two simple steps. 

  1. Stop using the water in the house: It makes sense that the more water being used when there’s already a blockage, all that water is going to add up quickly. You can also turn off the water in your house to help prevent anymore accidental backups.  
  2. Call a professional: Even if you think you have a handle on the situation, it’s always recommended to call a professional. Especially in the case of a floor drain. Because the line is connected to other homes in the city, bigger problems can occur when you go DIY. Professionals like the ones at Express Rooter have the tech to take care of your floor drain. With tools like electric drain snakes, power flushing machines and plumbing video cameras, we can diagnose the problem and solve it. 

 

If you have any questions, please call our office at 416-233-2660. Or visit our website at expressrooter.ca.

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