Basement Floor Drain Backing Up? What to Do in Greeley
Water or sewage coming up the basement floor drain usually means the main line is blocked, and the floor drain is simply the lowest way out. Stop using water first. Then use the steps below, or call SewerProof Greeley 24/7 to talk to a local sewer pro.
Talk to a local sewer pro
Floor drain backing up now?
Stop running water, then call. A local sewer pro can tell you what to do right now and what a visit costs before anyone comes out.
Why the floor drain backs up first
The basement floor drain is the lowest opening on your sewer line. When the line is blocked farther down, water from sinks, toilets and the washer can’t get out, so it rises and comes up at the lowest point. That’s why a floor drain backing up usually points to the main line, not the drain itself.
A floor drain that only smells, with no water, is a different problem: its trap has dried out. Pour a gallon of water into it and see our guide to sewer smell in the house. Renting? See what to do about a sewer backup in a rental in Greeley.
The first 10 minutes
These steps keep a basement floor drain backup in Greeley from getting worse while you wait for help:
Sewage still rising, or more than a small puddle? See what to do in a sewer emergency.
Why your floor drain is backing up
When it happens is the best clue to the cause:
When it happens | What it often means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
Only when the washer drains | The main line is partly blocked; lint and grease build up fast | Clear the main line, then a camera check |
Every few months, or every spring | Roots at a joint, or a sag that holds waste | Clear it, then a camera check to find the spot |
After a toilet flush or a shower upstairs | A blockage between the floor drain and the street | Stop water; have the main line cleared |
Neighbors back up at the same time | A problem in the public sewer main | Call the City’s 24/7 sewer line |
Clear water seeps up, no sewage smell | Often water from the yard or the floor drain’s other inputs, not the sewer | Have a plumber trace where it comes from |
Smell only, no water | A dry trap in the floor drain | Pour about a gallon of water in |
The clog itself is usually roots, grease, wipes or a mix. Our page on a clogged main sewer line covers the signs and the fix in more detail.
Sewage on the basement floor?
Call any time, day or night. A local sewer pro can tell you what to do now and what clearing the line costs.
A backwater valve: stop it from coming back in
A backwater valve is a one-way flap on the sewer line. Wastewater can flow out of the house, but if the sewer backs up from the street side, the flap closes and keeps it from flowing into the basement.
When codes call for one
Colorado adopted the 2021 International Plumbing Code. That code calls for a backwater valve on fixtures whose overflow rim sits below the next upstream manhole in the public sewer. Fixtures that sit higher shouldn’t drain through the valve.
Whether your basement needs one depends on its height compared with the sewer main. A sewer pro can check.
What to know before you add one
A backwater valve protects against sewage coming in from the street side. It won’t help if the blockage is in your own line between the house and the valve. That still needs clearing.
How a pro stops a floor drain backup
Most basement floor drain backups end with the main line cleared the same visit. A good visit runs like this:
What it usually costs
Clearing the line is the most common fix. These are typical ranges:
Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
Clearing a main sewer line | About $125 to $315 |
Hydro jetting | About $300 to $600 |
Sewer camera check | About $175 to $350 |
Backwater valve | Ask for a written price; it depends on depth and the floor |
Night and weekend visits can cost more, so ask on the call. For repair prices, see sewer line repair costs.
Cleaning up safely
Sewage water is the dirtiest kind of flood water. Wear rubber gloves and boots, keep kids and pets away, and throw out soaked carpet and drywall.
Hard floors can be cleaned with hot soapy water, then a rinse of about 1 tablespoon of household bleach per gallon of water. Full steps are on our emergency sewer repair page.
Will insurance cover it?
Colorado’s Division of Insurance describes a water backup endorsement that covers damage to your home from a sewer or drain backup. It’s separate from a standard policy. A service line endorsement is different: it can cover the damaged pipe itself.
Your line or the City’s?
In Greeley, the City maintains the sewer mains, and residents are responsible for their own service line from the house to the main. A backup in one home is usually in that home’s line.
If neighbors back up at the same time, the City main may be blocked. The City runs a 24/7 sewer line for problems in its mains.
Outside Greeley?
Evans, Windsor, Johnstown and nearby towns set their own rules. See the towns we serve.
Keep it from happening again
Most floor drain backups start with what goes down the drains:
Frequently asked questions
Call about a basement floor drain backup in Greeley
Tell a local sewer pro what’s coming up, where, and what was running when it started. Ask for the price before work starts and for the camera footage. Call any time, day or night, for a floor drain backing up in Greeley or a nearby town. See all our Greeley sewer line repair services.