Water Coming Up From Basement Floor Drain – What To Do?

Water seeping on your basement floor drain can result in mold and mildew when left unattended, or it may produce a foul odor. As many homeowners commonly experience this issue, there are ways to fix this problem while not costing you too much money.

The water backing up from your basement is not only dirty but also burdensome, so we found ways to help you solve this problem.

You can fix your basement floor drain by yourself if the water backup isn't severe or the issue isn't on your main sewer line. You may opt to repair it yourself by:

  1. Turn off the power in your basement.
  2. Shut off your home's main water supply.
  3. Remove the water from your basement.
  4. Clean the drain's P-trap.
  5. Use plungers or chemicals to unclog your drain.
  6. Snake your basement's drain.

These steps may seem hard to follow, but don't worry; we will explain them further. Read more to understand why the water is backing up in this area and help you determine how to resolve this issue.

Water damage in basement caused by sewer backflow due to clogged sanitary drain - Water Coming Up From Basement Floor Drain- What To Do

Why Water Is Seeping Up From Your Basement Floor Drain

Water backing up from your floor drain rarely happens, but if it does, there are several reasons. It can be that grease and dirt have accumulated in the drain over time.

Your house drains under your basement can also be full of water from a rainstorm, causing a backup.

However, if there has been no recent rainstorm or clogs in the drain, it may mean that the problem is in your main sewer line, so you will need to get it professionally repaired.

How To Fix Water Backing Up In The Basement

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Water damage in basement caused by sewer backflow due to clogged sanitary drain

Immediately calling a plumber to repair a basement drain may cost you $100-$4,500 or more on average. So, finding ways to try to fix this problem if the issue isn't on the main line will save you money.

Your floor drains help in keeping water out of your house, especially by preventing water from storms from seeping through your space.

If your basement drainage is doing the exact opposite of this, here is a step-by-step process that you can follow to repair it:

1. Turn The Power Off In Your Basement

Turn off the power in your basement through your main circuit breaker to stop any live wires from electrocuting you or your family members because of the presence of water.

2. Shut Off Your Home's Main Water Supply

Turning off your main water supply and your faucets help in making sure that the amount of water in your basement doesn't increase.

3. Remove The Water From Your Basement

Cleaning up a blooded basement. Narrow depth of field.

Remove the water in your basement so you can try fixing your drain. You can use a hose that can go through your window to remove the water from your basement.

Plunging the drain out may be done if the water is still flooding your space.

4. Clean The Drain's P-trap

If the water has decreased in your basement, you can clean your drain's P-trap. Start by removing the grate cover, then get the back-flow preventer if your drain has one.

You can clean the P-trap using a wet-dry vac or a short plumbing snake.

If your drain is still clogging after doing this, remove the clean-out plug and get it out using a pipe or crescent wrench to gain access to the drain line.

Read our other post for more information about how to fix leaks in P-trap:

How To Stop My P-Trap From Leaking

Check out this wet-dry vac on Amazon.

5. Use Plungers Or Chemicals To Remove Your Drain's Clog

To unclog your drain, you may use a plunger or use chemicals. Drain plungers, suction, and put pressure on the clog. They may be able to remove the toilet paper and other objects that clog your basement's drain.

If you don't own a plunger, you can use 1/2 cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar, a Coca-cola, or a Drano. Let hot water through the drain pipes first before pouring the baking soda, followed by the vinegar.

For Coca-cola, you can use 2 liters of the bottle and pour it into the drain. After, wait for at least one hour before dumping boiling water.

Drano is a product that has strong chemicals which can dissolve severely clogged drains. Just pour the Drano onto your drain, let it rest for 20 minutes, then pour hot water.

You can use this to fix your basement drain. However, please do not do it too often, as it can also melt your pipes over time.

See this Drano clog remover on Amazon.

6. Snake Your Basement's Drain

Snake your drain if all the other remedies do not work. You can use a manual drain snake or a drain cleaning auger.

Manual Drain Snake

A manual drain snake is a tool used for drain clogs with a long metal cable that has a coil and a rotatable handle. Thread the manual drain snake's coiled end and get it through the P-trap.

Rotate the metal cable until it gets hit by a clog. You can break up the clog by rotating the handle back and forth. If the tip gets stuck to the drain, try pulling it out along with the clog it attaches to.

See this manual drain snake on Amazon.

Drain Cleaning Auger

Drain cleaning. Plumber repairing clogged grease trap with auger machine. Maintenance the sewage system and grease trap by professional plumber. Using auger snake to fix and unclog a drain.

Use a drain cleaning auger for severe clogs. It has an electric spinning motor to spin the metal snake through the drain. It also has different heads you can choose from depending on what is clogging your drain.

There is one for breaking up grease, a saw tip for roots clogging your drain, a retrieval tool, and a standard drill. You can use its standard head if you don't know what's blocking your drain.

This tool is heavy, so you must have someone help you when using it. As a precaution, you should also wear gloves so the line doesn't wrap around your wrists.

Remove the cap with a plumber's wrench to use a drain cleaning auger. Attach the tip, then get its head into the drain line. You can then start the motor after it is a couple of feet deep.

Controlling the engine can be done through its foot pedal. If you feel the head hit something, stop it from spinning and slightly reverse it to release the cable's tension.

Slowly get the line forward to have it cut through the clog. Afterward, get the line out and clean it by reattaching the lid.

Check out this drain cleaning auger on Amazon.

When To Call A Plumber For A Backed Up Basement Drain

Man with ground open unblocking a drain with a tool stock

If the steps above do not fix your basement drain or if you feel like it's too hard for you to do, you should call a professional plumber.

If the main sewer line causes the backup, contact a plumber, as they are the ones who have the tools to resolve the issue.

Although it may seem to cost a lot, doing this will help repair your basement drain as quickly as possible, so the standing water from it doesn't damage any of your furniture or put your health at risk.

How Do You Prevent Water From Backing Up In Your Basement Floor Drain?

Water damage in basement caused by sewer backflow due to clogged sanitary drain

Water seeping up from your basement floor drain can be too hassle to handle, so it is necessary to learn how to prevent it from happening.

Here are some tips you can follow to ensure that there will be no water backing up in your home:

  • Dispose of your grease and paper products properly. Grease solidifies when it cools off, so you shouldn't pour it down your drain. Because of this, you should put your cooking oil in a heat-resistant jar and throw it when it cools off.
  • On the other hand, any product made of paper does not dissolve quickly, so you shouldn't throw it into your drain.
  • Immediately remove clogs if your drain empties water slowly. You can do it by using a plunger or chemicals.
  • Change old pipes every 25-40 years. However, iron pipes can last longer, so they don't need to be changed often.
  • Install a floor drain plug to prevent water from backing up on your drain because of full sewers by hiring an expert.
  • Have a professional install a backwater valve for a permanent solution against water flowing from your drain.

In Closing

A basement floor drain backing up is a big nuisance, so it is essential to resolve the issue immediately. There are different reasons for this, and it is necessary to know whether you can save money by fixing it yourself or not.

You can stop water from coming up on your floor drain if only a minor clog causes it. However, hiring a plumber is advised for severe ones.

Need more help with your basement drains? Check out this article:

Water Coming Up From Basement Floor - What To Do?

Standing Water In Basement Floor Drain - Is This Ok?

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