Sewer backup in the basement: what to do now

Key takeaways

• Stop using water. Don't flush, run the dishwasher or washer, or use sinks and showers. Every gallon you send down goes to the backup.
• Stay out of standing sewage. It carries germs, and if it is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, it can be an electrical hazard.
• Work out whose line is blocked. If the whole street is backing up, call the city. If only your house is, it is probably your building sewer.
• Call a plumber for a clog in your line, and a restoration company for the clean-up of anything the water touched.
• Check your insurance before you throw things out. Sewer backup is often covered by a separate add-on.

Step by step: what to do now

1. Stop all water use. Tell everyone in the house. Don't flush toilets, run the washing machine or dishwasher, or use sinks, tubs or showers until the line is clear.
2. Keep people and pets out. Children and pets should stay out of the affected area.
3. Check for electrical hazards. If sewage or water is near outlets, appliances, a furnace, the water heater or the panel, don't walk in. Turn off power only if you can reach the breaker without stepping in water. If you can't, call your electric utility or an electrician.
4. Open windows for ventilation if it is safe. Fresh air helps while you wait for help.
5. Find out whether the neighbors are affected. Look at drains and toilets in other homes on your street, or ask. If several homes are backing up, the blockage is probably in the city main.
6. Call. If it looks like a city main, call Johnson City Water & Sewer Services. If it seems to be only your house, call a plumber. See emergency plumber if it is after hours.
7. Take photos of the damage before you move or clean anything. Take video if you can. These help with insurance.
8. Don't attempt to clean it up with a wet vac or household mop until the cause is fixed and you have the right protection.

Is it the city's line or yours?

A sewer system has two parts. The public main runs under the street and belongs to the city. The building sewer is the pipe that runs from your house to that main. Johnson City's code makes the property owner responsible for maintaining the building sewer on private property. The public main in the street is the city's. Johnson City Water & Sewer Services' customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What that means for you:

• Many homes on the street backing up at once: a blockage in the city main is likely. Call Johnson City Water & Sewer Services.
• Only your home backing up: the blockage is probably in your building sewer or house drain. A plumber can clear it. The main sewer line clog page explains how.
• Not sure: a plumber can run a camera or open a cleanout to see where the water stops. Ask where the blockage is and whose responsibility the pipe is before you agree to repairs.

If you're not sure, call the utility anyway to report the backup. They can tell you if there are other reports.

What a plumber does

For a blockage in your line, a plumber will usually:

• Find the cleanout, a capped pipe in the yard, basement or crawlspace, and open it.
• Clear the blockage with a cable or a jetting machine. See drain cleaning.
• Run a camera to find the cause. Roots, grease, a collapsed section and a belly (a sag that holds water) are common.
• Advise on sewer line repair if the pipe is damaged.

A clog that comes back is a sign of a damaged pipe, not just a clog.

On septic?

If your home is on a septic system instead of a city sewer, a backup in the basement can mean a full tank or a failing drain field. There is no city to call. A septic professional should pump and inspect the tank. Read septic services and don't use water until it is checked. If you aren't sure whether your home is on septic, look at your utility bill and see if there is a sewer charge.

Clean-up safety

The EPA's flood clean-up guidance notes that flood water can bring microorganisms into a building, including from sewage, and that exposure can cause allergic or irritant effects or, in some cases, infectious disease. The same guidance applies to a sewage backup indoors. Its main points:

• Protect yourself. The EPA says to wear an N-95 respirator, goggles without vent holes, gloves, pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and boots or work shoes.
• Sort what is wet. You can usually clean and dry materials that don't soak up water. Throw away materials that soak up a lot of water and can't be cleaned and dried.
• Dry everything fast. The EPA says mold can grow on wood, drywall, carpet and furniture that stay wet for more than 24 hours.
• Don't mix cleaning products, and don't add bleach to other chemicals.

Keep children and pets out of the area while you work.

For anything beyond a small area, a restoration company with the right equipment and protection is the safer choice. The water damage restoration page explains what they do.

Insurance note

The Insurance Information Institute describes sewer backup coverage as optional, available from most providers for a nominal cost. That means you shouldn't assume your policy includes it. Policies differ, so check your own policy or call your agent. Don't assume you are covered or not covered. Take photos, keep receipts for repairs and ask your insurer what they need before you throw things out.

Backwater valves

A backwater valve (also called a backflow preventer or check valve) is a device in the sewer line that lets wastewater go out but not come back in. Johnson City's code says that where a basement or floor level is lower than the sewer connection, the owner must provide check valves or other backflow prevention devices. Ask a plumber whether your home has one, whether it works and whether it has been cleaned. A valve can fail if debris stops it from closing, so it needs periodic checks.

Local conditions

Common causes of a lower-level backup anywhere are tree roots in the building sewer, grease buildup, a collapsed or sagging section of older pipe, and a blockage in the city main. Johnson City's sewer ordinance bars ground water and roof runoff from the sanitary sewer, so if you have a sump pump, its discharge should go outside and away from the house. The sump pump repair page covers that.

When to stop and call

Call a licensed plumber right away if:

• Sewage is coming up from a floor drain, tub, shower or toilet.
• More than one drain is affected, or the problem comes back after you clear it.
• You can't find the cleanout.
• You smell sewage and can't find the source.

Call a restoration company if sewage has reached carpet, drywall, stored items or appliances. Call an electrician if water is near the panel.

What to have ready when you call

The plumber will ask where the water is coming up (a floor drain, tub, shower or toilet), whether more than one drain is affected, whether the neighbors have the same problem, and whether anyone has used water in the last hour. If you know where your cleanout is, say so. If you have photos, keep them ready. Mention any past backups, large trees near the sewer line, and whether the house has a sump pump or a backwater valve.

After the line is cleared

Once the plumber has cleared the blockage and the water drains normally, do not rush back to normal use. Run water slowly at first and watch the lowest drain. Ask for a camera inspection if the cause was not obvious, because a damaged pipe will back up again. Keep the plumber's notes and any camera footage, and keep your own photos. They help with a repair decision, an insurance claim and, if the blockage was in the city main, a report to the utility.

Safety

• Electricity. Don't enter standing water near outlets, cords or the panel.
• Germs. Sewage can carry bacteria and viruses, the EPA notes. Wear protective gear.
• Fumes. Ventilate the area. Leave if you feel dizzy or sick.
• Don't use drain cleaner chemicals on a backed-up main. They can splash, damage pipes and endanger the plumber.