Sewer backup: what to do first, and what to leave alone
- Stop all water use, including the washer, dishwasher and showers.
- Do not flush, and keep people and pets away from the water. Sewage can carry bacteria.
- Do not use drain cleaners, and do not pump the water out of the basement into the yard.
- If water has reached outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, stay out of the room and call an electrician. Do not walk through standing water to reach a switch.
- Call us. Tell us which drains are backing up and whether any neighbors have the same problem.
Sewer backup: the main line or your own line?
This is the first question we ask on every backup call. The public sewer main under the street is run by the township utility. Your house line, the pipe from the foundation out to that connection, serves one home. We clear that one.
Clues point one way or the other. If only your house is backing up, the blockage is likely in your line. If neighbors are reporting the same problem, or you hear the street manhole gurgle, the main may be the cause. Call the township utility, which posts separate daytime and after-hours emergency numbers on its water and sewer page.
Where one stops and the other begins is a question for the utility. Ask the township utility where its responsibility ends before you assume either way, then call us for what is on your side.
Where is the blockage probably sitting?
| What you see | Likely location | Who to call |
|---|---|---|
| One fixture slow, others fine | That fixture's branch | Us, see drain cleaning |
| Basement fixtures back up, upstairs fine | Your house sewer line | Us, right away |
| Whole block affected, manhole gurgling | Township main | The township utility, then us if your line is also stopped |
| Slow drains plus soggy lawn over the tank | Septic system | Ask us on the phone, a tank may need pumping |
What not to flush or pour into a sewer line
Wipes labeled flushable still do not break down like paper. These are the common causes of repeat blockages.
- Wipes of any kind, including baby, cleaning and makeup wipes
- Paper towels, tissues, cotton swabs and dental floss
- Cooking grease, fat and oil, even when warm
- Feminine products and diapers
- Coffee grounds, rice and pasta in the kitchen line
- Cat litter, which sets like cement in a pipe
Homes on septic: what we clear, and what we do not
In the rural south and west of the township, many homes sit on private septic regulated by the Ottawa County Health Department. For these homes we clear the line between the house and the tank. We do not pump tanks. Tank pumping is a separate trade, and a licensed septic hauler does it.
The signs differ. A line blockage usually shows up as one or two drains failing. A full tank tends to make every drain slow and sometimes leaves a wet, foul-smelling patch in the yard. If you are not sure, ask when you call. We will tell you honestly which one it sounds like instead of sending a truck for the wrong job.
Septic repairs need county permits, so ask the health department before any digging. Neighboring Marne is a mix of sewer and septic too, and the same question applies there.
Main sewer line drain cleaning
The main drain is the 4 inch pipe that collects every branch in the house and leaves through the foundation toward the street. We reach it through a cleanout, usually a capped pipe in the basement, crawl space or yard, and run a cable or a jetter down it.
If the cable returns roots, scale or wipes, that tells us what we are dealing with. If it will not pass a certain point, we recommend a sewer camera inspection before repeating the job.
Allendale's sewer system and where your side begins
The township sewer system has about 50 miles of main, 8 lift stations and a treatment facility. A problem at a lift station or in the main can look like a block-wide backup, so ask the neighbors before you assume the fault is on your property.
Rural homes outside the sewer service area use private septic, with the Ottawa County Health Department overseeing wells and septic systems. If you are not sure which system serves your address, the township utility can tell you, and so can your closing paperwork.
Source: Allendale Township water and sewer page, Master Plan.
How we clear a backed-up sewer line
Find the cleanout
We locate it or make an access point, so the cable goes into the line rather than through the house.
Cable the line
A drum cable machine with a cutter head sized to the pipe goes down until it finds the blockage.
Jet if needed
Grease or scale may call for hydro jetting after the cable opens the line.
Run water and report
We flush the line, test fixtures and tell you if repeated backups call for a camera.
What changes the price of clearing a sewer line
A backup call can be a quick cable run or a long job. These factors set the number.
Having one speeds the job. Without it, we may need to pull a toilet or create access.
A short run to the street is simpler than a long run to a rear septic tank.
Roots and scale take more effort than a wipe clog.
Cabling, jetting and a camera each add time, and you hear the plan first.
Nights, weekends and holidays carry a different rate. We tell you before work begins.
Sewer water in the house?
Call the 24/7 line and tell us which drains are backing up.
Call (855) 575-2890