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View Full Version : Basement backing up and already snaked out


ranstrome
Apr 11, 2011, 03:19 PM
My basement is backing up. I have a sump pump that works. About 6 feet from the sump pump is a floor drain that is backing up. And next to the sump pump is the sewer line that is also backing up. I have snaked the sewer 100 ft out and did not hit an obstruction and the other floor drain I snaked it out 25ft. What could my problem be.

massplumber2008
Apr 11, 2011, 03:58 PM
Hi Ranstrome...

My guess is that you pushed through the blockage and simply need to continue to work the snake back and forth many times until you hit/clear the blockage... of course, you need the correct size snake head on the cable, right? In other words, you can't clear a main drain using a 1" head, right?

How far from your home to the street? How far to the first bushes/trees in the yard? Have you had issues like this before or is this the first time? What materials are the pipes made of... plastic or cast iron?

In most cases like this, you want to snake the drain while there is standing water in the drain. In this way, when you hit something you should at least see the water bob up/down a bit. When you see the water bobbing then you are into something and you will want to work the snake/cable back and forth aggressively on this area... should eventually free the blockage.

Once the blockage clears the water will disappear. Here, you will want to run a hose on full flow to while continuing to work the cable back and forth to help wash the debris down the drain and help to get things flowing well again.

If you bring back any roots on the snake head, then let us know and we can recommend a good foaming root treatment, OK?

Let me know more here...

Mark