A typical residential basement has at least one floor drain usually located near water fixtures such as a hot water heater or clothes washer.
My basement floor drain keeps backing 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.
Before we move on to learning how to unclog a basement floor drain let s take a look at some of the things that can ruin your sewer system s smooth operation a lot of things can contribute to your basement floor drain getting clogged.
That is because most floor drains rarely take in any water the usual problem is the opposite.
First you need to determine if it is local waste produced in your home that can t get out due to a blockage in the main line leaving your home or if it is waste from the sewer system coming back in called a backflow.
Reasons for a basement floor drain backing up.
Finding the source of the basement smell.
A floor drain back up in your basement is almost never due to the floor drain.
If the main sewer drain is clogged it can eventually back up all of the drains in the house which is why such a clog can be so serious.
Floor drain back ups and sewer smells.
The drain would extend horizontally from the p trap to a tee.
Where a floor drain is located.
Water in any trap under unused drains will eventually evaporate.
At the very least a clogged main sewer drain pipe may cause wastewater and raw sewage to back up through a floor drain into the basement or floor of an hour home.
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.
There s water in the basement.
Floor drains are most often installed during original construction often in the utility area to drain away excess water in the basement.
Although it may seem like it not all problems related to the backed up sewer line have to do with actual clogs and defected pipes.
Water under pressure can cause the sewer line to back up because it escapes through the lowest point it is the easiest route.
You have a water trap under a floor drain laundry tub or wash basin that has dried out from lack of use.
That is to say the drain and trap dry out then let in sewer gases.
Sewer line clogs floor drain backups.
What causes basement floor drain backing up.
A blockage can occur if a portion of the line has broken but generally a blockage is.
A sump full of debris will lead to a floor drain backup.
The pipe going down from the tee would empty into the sewer while the pipe going up would extend through the roof to vent the drain.
