Basement drains are tricky

• Posted on December 30, 2018
• by mikew
• in Fix It & Use It
• No Comments.

I’m grateful for my clients who continue to ask great questions. Here’s a recent…

Hey Mike! Quick question. I was hoping you could give me advice as to what this means and how I could fix it. In our laundry room we had that funky drain that the previous owner had sprayed insulation around. I’ve noticed some “stuff” backed up there and it definitely smells septic/sewage related. Ive attached a pic, not sure what it means, should I have my septic pumped or is this a sign of something else?

Sincerely, Feeling-a-little-backed-up

Dear Feeling-a-little-backed-up, thank you for reaching out to me! I’ve got a similar drain in my house that I have been dealing with as well. Periodically it backs up and I have a plumbing snake I use because there is this one particular spot in the drain pipe that seems to collect gunk and slow down the whole system. Basement drains can be tricky.

The foam was likely installed because the drain sometimes backs up – like a dike to keep the water from spreading out on the floor. If you have seen evidence of back ups but the drain is clear that’s a sign that the drain is still working but slowly. Why it backs up is the question. Floor drains can collect dirt/sand, debris and other items and periodically back up. They should have a p-trap at the bottom that prevents sewage gases from leaking out. It also collects up many solids that go down the drain. And if the p-trap dries out, as can happen with these rarely-used drains, they can become odorous. If you can take the cover off and use a flashlight for any visible obstructions would be a good start. A slender wand with a shop vac may be able to clear this area. Pouring some water down the drain to ensure it is draining can be a helpful test and will re-fill the p-trap. A plumbing snake may be needed to clear growing blockages down stream. You might consider talking to a plumber as well to see what tricks they have up their sleeve. If things persist you may consider hiring a sewer scope tech to send a camera through the line – I’ve been considering this but haven’t sprung for it yet. The biggest culprit in my experience with drain backups with septic systems are food products down the garbage disposal. Minimize the garbage disposing.

As for the septic tank, this drain should tie into that system. And if you have not had the tank pumped in the last 2-3 years I would recommend taking care of that – it’s time.

Hope some of this is helpful! Let me know other questions you have and how things go.