Don't Let A Backup
Destroy Your Home.

Stop all water usage immediately. A basement backup usually means your main sewer line is entirely blocked. Any water you run—flushing toilets, running the sink, doing laundry—has nowhere to go and will end up in your basement.

Turn off your washing machine and dishwasher. If the backup is severe and threatening your furnace or water heater, turn off power to those appliances at the breaker box if it is safe to do so. Then, call a professional sewer specialist immediately to clear the mainline block.

No. We strongly advise against using over-the-counter liquid drain cleaners. These products rely on highly corrosive chemicals (like lye or sulfuric acid) to melt clogs. While they might temporarily open a small hole in a hair clog, they rarely solve the root issue.

Worse, these chemicals sit stagnant against your pipe walls and generate immense heat. In older homes with cast iron pipes, this accelerates corrosion and rust. In modern homes with PVC, the heat can actually melt or deform the plastic pipes, turning a simple $150 snaking job into a multi-thousand dollar pipe replacement.

A persistent "rotten egg" or sewage smell usually points to one of three issues:

• A Dry P-Trap: The U-shaped pipe under your sink holds water to block sewer gases. If a guest bathroom isn't used often, the water evaporates. Run the sink for 30 seconds to refill it.
• A Broken Wax Ring: The seal between your toilet and the floor can fail, allowing sewer gas to seep out. If the toilet wobbles, this is highly likely.
• A Cracked Vent Stack or Mainline: If the smell is persistent and overwhelming, you may have a cracked sewer pipe leaking gas into your walls or yard. A professional smoke test can pinpoint the exact location of the invisible leak.

The cost varies wildly depending on the length of the pipe, the depth required for excavation, and whether the pipe runs under expensive hardscaping like concrete driveways or patios. A spot repair might cost $1,500 - $3,000, while a full mainline replacement can range from $5,000 to over $15,000.

This is exactly why we insist on a Camera Inspection first. Many homeowners are quoted for full replacements when a high-pressure hydro-jetting service or a targeted spot-repair would have permanently solved the issue for a fraction of the cost.