About this drain problem
What can cause this problem?
In a house without a basement, a bathtub or shower can be the first place a main sewer-line blockage becomes visible. Wastewater has to go somewhere when it cannot continue through the drain system, and a low fixture can become the overflow point.
If the toilet, tub, and shower back up together, the restriction may be farther down a shared drain line instead of inside one fixture. The same thing can happen when the washing machine drains and water comes up through a tub or shower.
Stop running water and avoid flushing toilets or running the washing machine while wastewater is backing up. Keep people and pets away from sewage or contaminated water.
A-1 Drain Cleaning checks which fixtures are affected to help identify whether the restriction is at a branch drain, the main drain, or the sewer line leaving the house.
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
- The shower backs up when the washing machine drains
- Water rises in the bathtub when a toilet is flushed
- The toilet, tub, and shower are affected together
- Wastewater comes back through a low fixture even when that fixture is not being used