Sewer Backup Service and Cleanup in Philadelphia

A sewer backup happens when wastewater cannot flow out through your main sewer line and comes back up through the lowest drain in the house instead. In most Philadelphia homes that is the basement floor drain, a basement toilet, a laundry tub or the drain next to the water heater. The cause is either a blockage in your own line, like roots, grease or wipes in the lateral, or water from the city sewer pushing back toward your home during heavy rain. Either way, you need the flow stopped and the line cleared as fast as possible.

Fullerton Plumbing and Drain Cleaning handles sewer backup service from the first call to a working drain. We find out whether the backup is a clog in your line or a surge from the sewer, clear the blockage with a cable machine or hydro jetter, and camera the line so you know the cause. Then we clean up the plumbing mess around the drains, cleanouts and work area. We do not do water damage restoration or mold remediation. If your basement needs drying, flooring removal or mold work, we will tell you and you can bring in a restoration company once the plumbing is fixed.

We provide sewer backup cleaning for homes, apartment buildings and businesses across Philadelphia and Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester counties. Backups often hit at night, on weekends or during storms, so Fullerton is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. You get an upfront quote before any work starts. While you wait for us, stop running water, do not flush, and keep people and pets away from the sewage.

Why Sewer Backups Happen in Philadelphia Basements

Much of older Philadelphia is served by a combined sewer system, where storm water from streets and roofs and sewage from homes travel in the same pipes. During heavy summer downpours and spring storms, those pipes can fill quickly. When the city sewer is full, water looks for the lowest outlet it can find, and in many rowhomes that is the basement floor drain. That is why some homes in low lying parts of the city see water rise in the floor drain every time it rains hard, even though the house line is clear. A backwater valve on the main line can stop sewer water from flowing back into the house during these events.

Other backups are caused by a blockage in the home's own line. Philadelphia rowhomes often have a house trap near the front basement wall that catches wipes and grease, and a terra cotta clay or cast iron lateral that collects roots from street trees. Because the property owner is generally responsible for the lateral from the house to the city main, clearing that line is on the homeowner, not the Philadelphia Water Department. The same blockage problems show up in suburban basements in Delaware County twins and older Montgomery County homes.

What Affects the Cost of Sewer Backup Service

The cost of sewer backup service depends on what caused the backup, where the blockage is and how much work it takes to clear and clean the plumbing. A wipes clog at the house trap is quicker than roots packed out to the street. Adding hydro jetting, a camera inspection, night or holiday response, or installing a backwater valve all change the scope. Restoration work such as drying or flooring is separate and done by a restoration company. We give you an upfront quote before any work starts.