Sewer Backup in the Basement? What to Do in 6 Steps

Step 1: Stop using water everywhere

Every sink, toilet, tub, dishwasher and washing machine drains into the same sewer line. When that line is blocked, the water has nowhere to go but back up. Tell everyone at home: no flushing, showers, dishes or laundry until the line is cleared.

Check for anything running on its own, like a dishwasher mid-cycle or a washing machine. A single load of laundry can send 15 to 40 gallons down the drain.

How you know it's helping: the water around the floor drain stops rising, and it may slowly sink back down. If it keeps rising with nothing running, the town main may be backing up into your line (see step 4).

Step 2: Isolate the area

Sewage carries bacteria and viruses, so treat anything it touched as contaminated. Close off the area, keep children and pets out and stay out yourself.

Do not enter floodwater near electrical equipment, and don't touch plugged-in equipment. If water is near outlets or the electrical panel, stay out of the room.

Step 3: Skip the chemicals and the plunger

Avoid chemical drain cleaners. They can't reach a blockage in the main line, and they make the backed-up water caustic, which is dangerous for anyone who opens the line later. Plunging a floor drain doesn't help either; it splashes sewage around and can push it up another drain.

The common mistake here is pouring a whole bottle of drain cleaner in "just in case." If you already did, tell us when you call so we can protect ourselves before opening the cleanout.

Step 4: Ask the neighbors

A quick check on your street tells you whose problem it is. If neighbors have backups too, the town's sewer main is likely blocked or overloaded, often after heavy rain. Call your town's sewer department or public works first.

If it's only your house, the clog is in your own line, called the lateral. In most New Jersey towns the homeowner owns the lateral from the house to the town main, sometimes including the part under the street.

Step 5: Arrange a professional drain assessment

Call us at 908-873-6686. We assess the drain and open the line at the cleanout, the screw-on cap on the main drain pipe shown above, where that's appropriate. Don't open it yourself. Method depends on pipe material, structural condition, obstruction and access. Older or damaged piping may not be suitable for high-pressure jetting. Camera inspection may be recommended where conditions warrant.

Outside regular hours, emergency service requires a $250 upfront emergency fee. When paid, the standard $49 service fee is waived. During regular hours there is no emergency fee. Additional repairs are quoted before work begins. We respond immediately upon contact; dispatch and arrival depend on availability and location. See sewer and water lines and drain cleaning.

Step 6: Arrange sewage remediation

Take photos for insurance only if you can do it from a safe, dry spot. Then arrange appropriate sewage remediation with a water damage restoration company, which has the equipment to clean, disinfect and dry the area. Carpet, padding, drywall, cardboard boxes and anything else porous that sewage soaked usually can't be saved.