I purchased a home about 2 months ago, and immediately there were flooding issues in the basement. At first I wasn't sure why the carpet in the middle of the basement was getting soaked. Now I see that the water is coming from the shower drain in the basement bathroom. This happened after the shower on the main floor was used. I also noticed water overflowing from the basement toilet the other night, and it is constantly getting clogged. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a plumber if it is somethig I can fix myself... Please help!!

You have a blockage downstream from the basement bathroom. Are you on city sewer or a septic tank? If on a septic tank have it checked to dee if it needs to be pumped. If on city sewer then open up the house clean out and check the flow when a toilet's flushed. If the cleanout fills up then snake from there. If the blockage's upstream from the cleanout then snake from the basements lavatory roof vent. Put out enough cable to reach the base and 20 feet more. Good luck, Tom

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Originally Posted by speedball1

You have a blockage downstream from the basement bathroom. Are you on city sewer or a septic tank? If on a septic tank have it checked to dee if it needs to be pumped. If on city sewer then open up the house clean out and check the flow when a toilet's flushed. If the cleanout fills up then snake from there. If the blockage's upstream from the cleanout then snake from the basements lavatory roof vent. put out enough cable to reach the base and 20 feet more. good luck, Tom

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Ok, so I guess the drain on the other side of the basement near the washer is also backing up. I am on city sewer... and I know absolutely nothing about this situation! How exactly do I check the "flow" and the "cleanup"? Could you explain to me in a way that a caveman could understand?? :) I'm not a complete idiot... just in the area of playing Handy man... I would really like to learn how to do this myself. Please help again. Prentend like you are speaking to an 8 year old, and I'll understand. HAHA.
THanks again!

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Originally Posted by speedball1
You have a blockage downstream from the basement bathroom. Are you on city sewer or a septic tank? If on a septic tank have it checked to dee if it needs to be pumped. If on city sewer then open up the house clean out and check the flow when a toilet's flushed. If the cleanout fills up then snake from there. If the blockage's upstream from the cleanout then snake from the basements lavatory roof vent. Put out enough cable to reach the base and 20 feet more.

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OK! You can't explain plumbing basics to a 8 year old but I''ll "simple" it down as much as I can. The house cleanout's located just outside the house on the city side. It should be within 18 inches of the house foundation and brought to grade. With a plastic sewer it will be white,(PVC) or jet black,(ABS). If you have a older home it will be black cast iron. It will have a cap that must be unscrewed to see if water's flowing past to the street. Locate the cleanout, open it up and have someone flush the basement toilet. If you can see water flowing past then the blockage's between the cleanout and the street and you snake from the cleanout to the street. If you don't see water then the blockage's in the house main and you snake from the basement lavatory roof vent. Drop enough cable down to the base and put out 20 feet more. That's about as simple as I can make it but if you have more questions I'm as close as a click. Chers, Tom

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Originally Posted by speedball1

OK! You can't explain plumbing basics to a 8 year old but I''ll "simple" it down as much as I can. The house cleanout's located just outside the house on the city side. It should be within 18 inches of the house foundation and brought to grade. With a plastic sewer it will be white,(PVC) or jet black,(ABS). If you have a older home it will be black cast iron. It will have a cap that must be unscrewed to see if water's flowing past to the street. Locate the cleanout, open it up and have someone flush the basement toilet. If you can see water flowing past then the blockage's between the cleanout and the street and you snake from the cleanout to the street. If you don't see water then the blockage's in the house main and you snake from the basement lavatory roof vent. Drop enough cable down to the base and put out 20 feet more. That's about as simple as I can make it but if you have more questions I'm as close as a click. Chers, Tom

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Thanks so much, I think I got it!
Jamie