ralph_on_me
New Member
Hey Terry Love crew. I've done a lot of searching this seems like a community with a lot of answers, so I thought I would ask a question here.
I have a basement drain into the sewer main that's been backflowing. I am calling a plumber, but I'm trying to determine just what the heck is going on while I'm managing the symptoms.
The drain is not a cleanout, but it's at the same height as the cleanout in the next room over. It's about two feet down until it hits the main line, but it has about 18 inches of standing water in it. It's my understanding that this should be empty or nearly empty and NOT have standing water. I've been able to plunge it somewhat, but the water always seems to return to that 18 inch level. This morning I took a 5 gallon bucket of water and poured it into the drain from 5 feet up. It took the water with minimal overflow, but again settled at that 18 inch level after about 5 seconds.
I have not checked the cleanout in the next room, as that section of the basement is finished and I don't want to risk a mess in there.
I'm not sure how the drain could take that volume of water that fast, yet still be clogged, and still keep that 18 inches of standing water. Could it be a venting issue?
I have a basement drain into the sewer main that's been backflowing. I am calling a plumber, but I'm trying to determine just what the heck is going on while I'm managing the symptoms.
The drain is not a cleanout, but it's at the same height as the cleanout in the next room over. It's about two feet down until it hits the main line, but it has about 18 inches of standing water in it. It's my understanding that this should be empty or nearly empty and NOT have standing water. I've been able to plunge it somewhat, but the water always seems to return to that 18 inch level. This morning I took a 5 gallon bucket of water and poured it into the drain from 5 feet up. It took the water with minimal overflow, but again settled at that 18 inch level after about 5 seconds.
I have not checked the cleanout in the next room, as that section of the basement is finished and I don't want to risk a mess in there.
I'm not sure how the drain could take that volume of water that fast, yet still be clogged, and still keep that 18 inches of standing water. Could it be a venting issue?