Sewer Backup in a Toledo Basement

Why is water coming up through my floor drain?

Usually because the sewer line cannot carry water away fast enough, so it pushes back up the lowest opening in the house, which is the basement floor drain. There are two common reasons in Toledo:

• The public sewer is overloaded. In older areas of Toledo, the sanitary sewer and storm sewer are combined into one system. During heavy rain those pipes can fill completely. The city permits overflows into Swan Creek, the Ottawa River and the Maumee River during big storms, and says that without them, sewer backups into roadways and basements would be much more common. In a severe storm, low basements can still back up.
• Your own sewer lateral is blocked or broken. The lateral is the pipe from your house to the street. Roots, grease, a collapsed section or an old clay pipe can stop flow even on a dry day. If your drains back up when it is not raining, or when the washer drains, suspect the lateral.

What should I do right now?

1. Stop using water in the house. No laundry, dishwasher, showers or flushing. Everything you send down the drain can come back up in the basement.
2. Keep everyone out of the water, especially children and pets. Sewage is Category 3 water under the IICRC S500 standard, the most contaminated category.
3. Check for electrical hazards before going down. If the water reaches outlets or appliances, stay out and have the power shut off safely.
4. Call (419) 515-4608 and press 1. We connect you with a local water cleanup company that handles sewage cleanup.
5. Photograph everything for insurance.
6. Report it to the city if it might be a public sewer problem. The City of Toledo asks residents to report water backups to Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020.

Who is responsible: me or the City of Toledo?

It depends on where the problem is. The City of Toledo says it is responsible for all cleaning and repairs within the public right of way or sewer easement, and homeowners are responsible for all repairs on their own property. The city's advice is to have a sewer cleaner inspect the line to find the blockage. If the problem turns out to be on the public side, report it to Engage Toledo.

In practice that means a camera inspection of your lateral is often the first useful step. It shows whether the problem is roots or a break in your pipe, or whether your line is clear and the public sewer was simply overwhelmed.

How do I stop sewer water from backing up again?

The goal is to keep sewer water from reaching the basement floor drain. Common approaches:

• A backwater valve or check valve on the sewer line lets water flow out but closes when sewage tries to flow back in.
• A standpipe in the floor drain raises the height water has to climb before it can spill onto the floor.
• Plumbing changes, such as rerouting basement fixtures, so the lowest open drain is not on the basement floor.
• Lateral repair or replacement if your own line is broken or full of roots.

These are plumbing changes, so in Toledo they normally need a permit from the city's Division of Building Inspection. The company you hire should pull it.

Can the city help pay for a backflow fix?

Possibly. The City of Toledo's Basement Flooding Grant Program helps owners inside city limits whose basements back up because the main sewer is overloaded. It covers work that prevents sanitary sewage from backing up, such as standpipes, check valves, sewer or plumbing modifications and sump pumps.

• The city pays 100 percent of the first $1,000 of eligible work and splits the next $1,000 with you, for a maximum grant of $1,500.
• Owners in the Homestead Exemption program or receiving HEAP assistance can get up to $2,000.
• You need at least two written quotes, and the city verifies that the backup came from the public sewer before approving.
• The grant does not pay for cleanup, insurance deductibles, damaged belongings, wall waterproofing, footer drains or sewer lateral repairs.

Our step-by-step grant guide explains how to apply.

Does insurance cover a sewer backup?

Not under a standard homeowners policy, and not under flood insurance either. Sewer and drain backup coverage is usually a separate add-on, called an endorsement or rider. The Insurance Information Institute puts the typical cost at about $40 to $160 a year depending on the limit and deductible. If you do not have it, ask your agent about adding it before the next storm season. Read the limit carefully; a basement cleanup can exceed a low limit.

How is a sewage cleanup different from a clean-water cleanup?

It takes more care. A cleanup company will usually set up containment, remove porous materials that touched the sewage, such as carpet, pad, the bottom of drywall and insulation, then clean and treat hard surfaces before drying. The CDC says drywall and insulation contaminated with sewage or floodwater should be removed and thrown away. The EPA recommends professionals who have experience with contaminated water for this kind of job.

How do I tell a sewer backup from a groundwater leak?

• Sewer backup: water appears at the floor drain first, may smell, may carry debris, and often happens during or right after heavy rain or when appliances drain.
• Groundwater: water appears along the base of the walls or through cracks, is usually clear, and may keep seeping for days after rain because the clay around the house stays saturated.

Some basements get both. Groundwater is handled with drainage and a sump pump; see interior drain tile. The full Toledo guide compares every source side by side.