Sewer Camera Inspection
Send a camera down the line to check its condition before a repair or home purchase.
Homeowner guide
Basement Sewer Backup in Commerce City, CO: What to Do First
When sewage comes up a basement floor drain, shower or toilet, stop using water, keep people away and call for emergency help. Whether the blockage is on your property or in the main decides who fixes it.
By the Mile High Express Plumbing team · published
Why basements back up first
A basement has the lowest drains in the house. When a sewer line is blocked or slow, wastewater looks for the lowest exit, and that is usually a floor drain, a shower or a basement toilet. Upstairs fixtures may drain normally for a while.
Roots, built-up grease, wipes, a collapsed or sagging pipe and a blocked public main are the usual culprits. If several fixtures back up together, particularly at the lowest level, suspect the main line, not one fixture.
What to do right now
Quit using water. No flushing, no dishwasher, no laundry, no showers, because each gallon you add needs somewhere to go. Keep kids and pets out, and put on rubber boots and gloves if you have to enter.
If the floor drain is flowing, turn off power to the basement only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot. Do not stand in standing water near outlets or appliances. Call for emergency help and say that sewage is coming up in the basement.
Who is responsible for which pipe
Sewer mains in its territory are the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District's responsibility, and the district's website says it will not service utilities on private property. The pipe between your house and the main usually belongs to the owner, but rules vary by address and city, so verify with your utility.
If neighbors have the same problem, or the blockage seems to be in the street, call the district. If only your home is affected, a plumber can run a sewer camera inspection to see where the line is blocked and whether the problem is on your side.
Reading the pattern of a backup
Which drains misbehave tells you roughly where the stoppage sits.
| Pattern | Probable spot | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| A single fixture backs up | That fixture's own drain | A plumber |
| Several slow drains and a gurgling basement floor drain | Your lateral on the way to the main | A plumber, then a camera check |
| Neighbors report the same thing | The public main | The water district |
| Backups return soon after clearing | A sag, crack or root intrusion | A camera inspection |
Clearing and repairing the line
A plumber can clear a stoppage with a cable machine, or with hydro jetting when the pipe is coated with grease. Camera footage after clearing shows whether the pipe is cracked, sagging or full of roots.
If the camera finds damage, sewer line repair or sewer line replacement may be needed. Ask to see the video, and ask whether the problem is a spot repair or a whole-run replacement.
Cleaning up safely
Sewage carries bacteria and viruses. Porous materials that were soaked, such as carpet, padding and drywall, usually cannot be saved. Hard surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected. Photograph everything before you throw it away.
Professional crews follow cleanup standards for contaminated water, and a water damage restoration company can handle removal, drying and disinfection. Ask your insurer whether your policy covers sewer backup, since many standard policies need an added endorsement.
Preventing the next backup
Never pour grease down a drain, and keep wipes out of the toilet even if the package says flushable. The district's guidance is to put wipes and paper towels in the trash and to never pour grease into the sewer.
A backwater valve on the sewer line can keep wastewater from flowing back into the house. It must be installed correctly and cleaned from time to time. Ask a plumber whether it makes sense for your home, and schedule a camera inspection if backups have happened before.
What to tell the dispatcher
Say that sewage is coming up in the basement, which drains are affected, whether upstairs fixtures still work and whether the neighbors have the same problem. Say whether anyone has used a chemical cleaner. That detail matters for the safety of whoever clears the line.
Mention anything unusual, such as a recent remodel, tree work or construction near the street. A recent change can explain a sudden backup.
Protect your health while you wait
Wash hands with soap after any contact. Keep children and pets away from wet areas. Open windows if the weather allows, and do not run fans that spread contaminated water droplets.
Wear boots, gloves and a mask if you must move items. Bag soaked textiles and set aside anything you can wash at high heat. Discard porous items that were soaked by sewage.
After the line is cleared
Run water in each fixture one at a time and watch the basement drain. Check that nothing gurgles or rises. Keep a log of the date, the work done and what the plumber found, since it helps if the problem returns.
Ask for the camera video or photos. If the plumber found roots, grease or a sag, you can plan the fix instead of waiting for the next backup. A routine cleaning schedule on a line with roots can prevent repeat emergencies.
Sump pumps, window wells and heavy rain
Not all basement water comes from the sewer. A dead sump pump, a clogged window well or a downspout that discharges beside the foundation can let clean water in. To test the sump, pour a bucket into the pit and see whether the pump starts and empties it.
If the water is clear and appears only in rain, drainage is the likely cause. If it is gray, smells or comes from a floor drain, treat it as sewage.
Common questions
Sewer backup questions
Yes. It can carry bacteria and viruses. Keep people and pets away and wear protective gear if you must enter.
No. Hold off on water until the line is cleared, because every gallon makes the backup worse.
Mains are the district's to maintain. The stretch between the house and the main is usually the owner's, so a plumber typically takes that part.
It can stop wastewater from flowing back into the house, but it must be installed correctly and kept clean.
Services that help
Drain Cleaning & Unclogging
Open slow or stopped kitchen, bath, laundry and main drains, then work out the cause.
Water Damage Restoration
Extract water, dry the structure and rebuild after a leak, frozen pipe or basement flood.
Keep reading
Sewer smell in the house
A sewer smell usually has a simple source, like a dry trap, but it can signal a cracked line. Here is how to find it.
Clay soil and sewer line problems
Front Range clay swells and shrinks. That movement can bend, crack or separate buried pipe. Here is what to watch for.
Toilet won't flush
A toilet that will not flush is usually a clog or a tank problem. Here is how to tell which and what to try first.
Sewage coming up in the basement?
Stop all water use and phone in. A local contractor will be arranged for you.