Our washer is in the basement, and usually works just fine. About once a year, we have 2-3 days where the washer will back up into the floor drain in the basement. It doesn't happen while the washer is draining, but rather 15-30 minutes later. I'm confused as to where the water goes, and why/how it's coming back. This has happened 3 years in a row now, always in December or January. The past two years we've had the floor drain snaked, and they never find anything in the line. Of course when they come out to snake it, they run the washer before snaking and it doesn't back up at all. And once they leave it works fine for another year. Nothing else in the house will cause it to back up by itself, but if there is water backed up already from the washer and we use the toilet/sink/shower upstairs, it will back up then. I do live where it gets pretty cold (well below zero) at times in the winter, not sure if that makes a difference.
Any help/ideas is GREATLY appreciated-I'm getting frustrated as I have two kids two and under and now I'm scared to do laundry!

The 15 to 30 min later is any other sink used or shower taken during that time lapse?
Is there a sewer vent pipe on that laundry drain line ? H
How close to the main vent line is the washer drainage pipe?
Just to check is your house on a drainfeild system or to public sewer?


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There isn't any other water being used during the time lapse.
I'm not sure about a sewer vent pipe-how do I find this out?
The floor drain is about 2 feet from the washer drainage pipe, not sure about main vent line.
We are paying for public sewer, but in talking to a friend who works for the city, he thinks there is something strange about our house and that we may not be hooked to city sewer. Everyone on either side of us is, and most of the houses were built at the same time so I'm not sure where our stuff goes. I suppose a call to the city will first on the list for Monday.
Thank you for responding, sorry I can't answer your questions better. I know very little about this subject.