Home 🪠 Plumbing Emergency 🪠 Drain Clog 🪠 Basement Floor Drain Clog

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING A BASEMENT FLOOR DRAIN CLOG?

Has your basement had foul odors like sewage lately? Does your basement flood during heavy rain?

For many homeowners, we can help determine why you have a foul odor or water in the basement coming from your clogged basement floor drain!

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Floor drains drain outside your home to take sewer waste water out of your house

WHAT IS A CLOGGED BASEMENT FLOOR DRAIN?

Basement floor drains clog from a clogged drain, causing unwanted water or standing water that can cause water damage. The basement floor drain in your house connects to drain lines that go to the sewer system.

The water in the basement can come from a main sewer clog, a failed ejector pump system, a leaking water heater, failing washing machines, or a faulty water softener system. This includes when you flush your water heater each year as we recommend removing sediment from its tank.

Your home’s main drain line connected to the basement floor drain may be blocked with debris. Debris can include toilet paper, paper towels, baby wipes, broken clay tile from sewer lines where tree roots have grown, or other gunk. To fix clogs from things like toilet paper in your basement floor drain, power rodding will have to be done to the main sewer line.

Alternately, you may need to replace the old failed ejector pump in your house. The ejector pump sits in a sewer pit or catch bowl/basin and has a large drain hole that takes wastewater out of your basement from your HVAC unit, basement laundry sink, and sewage from other appliances. It sits at the lowest point in your basement to collect the wastewater from these appliances including the sink.

A main sewer clog is an obstruction or narrowing of the sewer line that causes a clogged basement floor drain. It is a part of your home’s plumbing where the basement drain backs into the main drain that goes to the sewer. There is usually a cover grate that covers the basement floor drain backing up to the main sewer line.

The clogged basement drain may be caused when tree roots grow into your sewer pipe, often made of clay tile. This restricts water flow.

The result is basement flooding and sewage backs up into your home. To solve the problem, most homeowners call us to have their sewer system unclogged.

Sometimes, the basement floor drain backing up is the result of a break in the drain line. In this case, the sewer line will then have to be repaired or replaced.

If you have a backed up drain, don’t hesitate to call us! (773) 799-8848.

We’re rated the #1 plumber in Chicago for a reason and love to Rescue our customers from all of their plumbing challenges.

An ejector pump is a basement pump system that sends basement wastewater up and out of the basement drain line.

An ejector pump is usually located in a basement sump pit where wastewater is discharged. If the basement ejector pump doesn’t work properly or the backwater valve fails, basement sewage backup will occur.

Especially following heavy rain, basement clogs may result in basement flooding. A backflow valve or backwater valve may help in these situations but a clog will overpower the basement drain or floor drain you have in place.

If you have a failing ejector pump, call us Rescue Plumbing and we’ll get you back on track in no time! (773) 799-8848.

We are experienced with sewer line problems and can help. We have the right equipment to check your sewer system, diagnose issues on the spot.

How Does a Basement Floor Drain Work?

Basement floor drains work by taking wastewater from your sewer system. Often-overlooked, they are an essential component of any house. They’re typically installed during original construction where the drain connects out of the basement and keeps your concrete floor dry!

Basement drains when they clog are quite a headache for homeowners and business owners. They lead to flooding, water damage to merchandise or prized possessions, and even a halt of day-to-day business operations.

DIY tips for minor clogs, including pouring boiling water or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda down a drain, can work in some cases.

However, preventing clogs in basement drains might take additional measures, such as:

  • Ensuring only the cover grate isn’t blocked with debris
  • Making sure the drainage system and plumbing trap are clear
  • Having a plumber check older drains for deterioration
  • Installing a new drain or having a old drain replaced
  • Installing an additional cleanout with cleanout plug for easy access to remove clogs

It’s important to understand the risks associated with an improperly maintained basement drain. They can lead to water damage, flooding, and even hazardous health problems.

Water pooling on the floor of your home or business is not only unsightly but bad for structural integrity as well as your indoor environment.

Risks of Not Having a Basement Drain

Even more, if your basement drain is malfunctioning or clogged and you don’t get it fixed immediately then the risks increase even further:

  • Failing sump pump that causes water to flow onto your floor and around your house
  • Flooding in your basement which could lead to extensive damage throughout home

The Role of a Sump Pump in Keeping a Basement Floor Drain Clear

This pump takes wastewater out basement floor drains through a pipe.

It’s supposed to work when water levels rise in your sump pit or basin, and then pumps the wastewater away where the drain connects outside your house.

If your sump pump fails, you will have an issue with standing water flooding the basement. The standing water can even back up into your floor drain and plumbing system.

How to Prevent Sump Pump Failures

A battery backup that will allow the pump to switch on automatically in case it fails or you experience a loss of power is your best defense against a flooded basement.

By having one, you are remaining vigilant. You should quickly become aware of any needed repairs and you can ensure that the pump will be working efficiently during heavy rain. Like the ejector pump, it will typically sit in a sump pit. This will be the lowest point in your home and connect via PVC piping where the drain connects to an outside drainage system.

The sump pit should be sealed and will trap sewer gasses from entering your house. The sump pit will have a trap beneath the lid and drain via a pipe outside.

We recommend making a service call if you are unsure how to clear the clog. Rescue Plumbing carries all of the necessary equipment to clear a drain. This includes a power rodding tool, a hydro-jetter and drain snakes.

When you call us, you get the #1 rated plumber in Chicago to come to your house and solve your blocked floor drains. We’ll get it done right the first time.

Call today if you need basement floor drain service or any other plumbing repairs. We are always on-call and offer emergency service! (773) 799-8848.

Rescue Plumbing team member ready to unclog your basement floor drain

WE CAN CLEAR YOUR BASEMENT FLOOR DRAIN CLOG!

Why choose Rescue Plumbing? Because we are the best!

  • Licensed, Bonded & Insured
  • Real Completed Jobs Near You
  • 5-Star Rated Plumbing Company
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RESCUE PLUMBING COMPANY SERVES THE CHICAGO METRO AREA

Our professional plumbers can respond to your plumbing need! We have performed cleaning basement floor drains, repaired drain lines and removed drain clogs across the Chicagoland area.

Read more about our plumbing services and our completed jobs!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You have questions, the Rescue Team has answers.

Yes, a basement floor drain needs a trap. All drains require traps to create an airtight water seal that will prevent hazardous sewer gases from escaping into your home.

The way you can immediately stop your floor drain from backing up is by turning off the water to the building. Stopping all water usage should stop your floor drain from backing up. Usually, a floor drain backs up because of a clog further down the drain line. You must determine where the actual clog lies then use the proper drain cleaning machine to unclog it. This will stop the floor drain from backing up.

Basement floor drains drain to an exterior catch basin in older homes or an ejector pit in newer homes. There are some rare instances where a basement floor drain drains directly into the main sewer line or a sump pump but these types of floor drain installations are not recommended.

A floor drain.

  • a basement laundry sink connects to where this basement floor drain clog occurred
  • a sump pit that will trap water and drains to the main sewer line connects to this basement drain
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LET US SOLVE YOUR PLUMBING PROBLEM!

Rescue Plumbing can rescue you from any plumbing problems! We can service any plumbing system in residential or commercial locations. Our plumbing team is experienced and knowledgeable in all types of basement clog repairs. Call our friendly staff today!

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