Sewage backing up into the house

If sewage is coming up a floor drain, shower or toilet, stop running water now. Then call to get the line cleared. Clearing the pipe and cleaning up after it are separate jobs, often done by different trades.

Call now(888) 999-3331

Homes and properties in the City of Folsom, CA (ZIP 95630). For owners, landlords and property managers.

You’ll be asked for your address, which drains are affected, and whether water is coming back up.

We’re a referral service, not a plumbing company. Your call connects you with an independent local plumber, who may pay us for the referral. How this works

Call to check when a local plumber can come out.

The first hour, step by step

The first hour

Stop all water use and tell everyone in the house.Every flush, shower or load of laundry adds to what comes up.
Keep people and pets away from it.Raw sewage carries bacteria and viruses. If you have to go near it, wear rubber gloves, boots and eye protection, and wash thoroughly afterward.
Stay out of water that reaches outlets, cords or appliances.Only switch off power to the area at the panel if you can reach it without standing in water.
Call a plumber to clear the line.Say where it came up and whether it’s still rising. The backup won’t drain until the blockage is cleared.
Photograph everything before cleanup.Take pictures of the affected floors, walls and belongings, and where the water came from. Your insurer will ask.
Ventilate.Open windows if the weather allows, and keep the area closed off from the rest of the house.

Why it comes up where it does

All the drains in a house feed one pipe, the main line, which runs out under the yard to the City sewer. When that pipe is blocked, anything that goes down any drain backs up until it finds the lowest opening, usually a shower, tub or floor drain. That’s why a backup can show up in a bathroom nobody was using.

The blockage itself is usually roots, wipes, grease, or a sag where solids settle. See main sewer line clogs for the signs and causes, and the Folsom lateral guide for which part of the pipe is yours.

Clearing the line vs. cleaning up

Clearing the line is plumbing work. It stops the backup, and it has to happen before cleanup starts or the water comes back.

Cleaning up is often a separate trade. Sewage that has soaked into carpet, pad, drywall, insulation or subfloor usually has to be removed, and the area disinfected and dried. Water damage restoration companies do that work.

The number on this page connects you with drain and sewer line clearing. For cleanup, your insurer can usually point you to restoration companies it works with. Ask before signing anything.

Questions about sewer backups

Why is sewage coming up the shower drain?

The shower or floor drain is usually the lowest opening in the plumbing. When the main line is blocked, water from anywhere in the house backs up and comes out there first. Stop all water use until the line is cleared.

Does homeowners insurance cover a sewer backup?

It depends on the policy. Many policies only cover sewer or water backup if a separate endorsement was added. Photograph everything before cleanup starts, keep receipts, and call your insurer early. Don’t assume either way.

Can I clean up sewage myself?

Small amounts on hard, non-porous floors are often cleaned by homeowners wearing gloves, boots and eye protection, followed by disinfecting. Sewage soaked into carpet, drywall, insulation or subfloor is a different matter. Those materials usually have to be removed, which is work for a water damage restoration company.

Can a backflow device stop this from happening again?

A backwater valve on the lateral lets sewage out and stops it flowing back in. Folsom requires a backflow prevention device on new connections where the lowest fixture sits 12 inches or less above the nearest upstream manhole rim, and can require one in other cases (Municipal Code 13.08.090). Ask the plumber whether one suits your house.

Sewage coming up? Get the line cleared.

You’ll be connected with an independent local plumbing company. Have your address ready, and say which drains are affected and whether anything is backing up. It helps the plumber bring the right equipment.