About this drain problem
What can cause this problem?
Stop using water in the house as soon as you can. Do not flush toilets, run the washing machine, or use sinks and showers while wastewater is backing up; more water can worsen the overflow.
Keep people and pets away from sewage or possibly contaminated water. Avoid direct contact, and do not try to clean a sewage backup without appropriate protection. If wastewater is near electrical outlets, appliances, or wiring, do not enter standing water or touch electrical equipment; get qualified help.
Notice where the backup appears and which fixtures were used just before it started. A basement floor drain is often the first visible overflow point in a home with a basement. In a home without a basement, wastewater may come up through a bathtub or shower. These symptoms can indicate a restriction in a shared drain or main sewer line, but they do not establish the exact location by themselves.
If only one fixture is affected, the blockage may be closer to that fixture. If several fixtures back up together or a low drain fills when another fixture is used, the problem may be farther down the shared drain or main line. Stop water use rather than testing the system with more flushing or running water.
A-1 Drain Cleaning provides 24/7 emergency drain and sewer service in Mason City and North Iowa. When you call, tell us where wastewater is coming up, whether multiple fixtures are affected, when the backup began, and whether water use makes it rise.
Drain cleaning can open a blocked line, but it does not automatically repair a cracked, collapsed, or separated pipe. If the line keeps backing up after it is cleared, further investigation may be needed to determine whether pipe damage or another recurring problem is involved.
Floor drain backup can be part of a larger blockage
If wastewater is coming up through a floor drain, especially when the washing machine drains or another fixture is used, the restriction may be farther down the shared drain or main sewer line.
See floor drain backup causes and symptoms →Signs the drain may be involved
- Dirty water is rising from a floor drain
- A toilet or shower backs up when water is used elsewhere
- Several drains stop working at once
