What Causes Backed Up Drains?

Help! My basement is flooding!

One of the most common calls we get is for flooded basements. Backed up drains can cause this, as well as a burst water heater or sump pump failure.

When the cause is backed up drains, the water is usually coming in from around the washing machine area.

This is a sign that there's a clogged main drain or clogged septic line. The washing machine drain is located close to the "main drain" of the home. Every time a faucet is turned on or a toilet flushes, it drains to the bottom of the home. So when the main drain is clogged, all that water has nowhere to go but back up the washing machine drain. That why you'll see it all over the floor near your appliances.

What causes backed up drains?

We were recently dispatched to Storrs CT for one of those calls. The home is on a septic system. It was unclear when the last time the system was pumped. Because it hadn't been pumped in awhile, at either the center NOR the inlet, everything started backing up inside the home.

This video shows what our plumber found and how he made the drain repair:

 

It's very important to have your septic tank pumped on a regular basis. Make sure the inlet is cleaned out as well. We also urge you to NEVER FLUSH ANY TYPE OF WIPE. Even if they are marked 'flushable' or 'safe for septic systems,' they are NOT. They plug up inlets all the time and we are called out to clear them.

Your local Storrs CT plumber

When you notice that your drains are running slower than usual, give us a call. Once the drains stop running altogether, the mess will be much bigger. To prevent clogs and slow running drains, we also recommend using BioClean on a regular basis. We are a local distributor. To schedule a drain cleaning or backed up drain repair, please contact pur office by calling 860-228-1036.