Discussions

So I have a floor drain in my basement and it backed up all over the floor when I used my washing machine. The water is not sewage water, but it is everywhere.... is there a simple solution or is it time to call the plumber? I have contacted our land lord, which has not got back to me yet. I'm limiting the water usage as much as possible, but I'm not sure of what to do. Ideas? Thanks!

Just a question, but do you use pods in your washing machine?

No i use liquid detergent

Do you have one? If not at this time of night I am thinking Home Depot may still be open and might rent them? That is a good start to get a huge amount of water out of there, also a huge round floor fan left on for a couple of days. Home Depot may have those too. I know other places rent those, but they would not be open now.

Same thing happened to us and the plumber had to come and roto it out. It was clogged with tree roots.

I had clothes all over the floor, as I was in the middle of my big laundry day, so the clothes soaked up all the water, so there isn't any standing water anywhere. It's not like it's mass amounts of water flooding either, it's just coming up and overflowing, or sometimes just close to overflowing, every time we use any water (ie. flushing toilets, laundry, etc). It's a new house, so would tree roots be an issue?

If it is a new house then tree roots should not be a problem,but it seems you have a blockage in the sewer line leaving the house,unlesss your neighbor has the same problem

I had this happen to me...It was tree roots..

There is likely a clog in your drain somewhere, could be tree roots, could be another obstruction, you need it rooted out.

Family4ever said "I had clothes all over the floor, as I was in the middle of my big laundry day, so the clothes soaked up all the water, so there isn't any standing water anywhere. It's not like it's mass amounts of water flooding either, it's just coming up and overflowing, or sometimes just close to overflowing, every time we use any water (ie. flushing toilets, laundry, etc). It's a new house, so would tree roots be an issue? "

First of all....from your first post, you say it's not sewage water. If you are flushing your toilets and it's overflowing up that drain, then yes, it is sewage water, and you will want to make sure you disinfect and sanitize your floors. Just because there is not solid waste, does not mean it is not sewage water.  
 
Second, if the house is brand new, you are the first to live in it, then it is highly highly unlikely that it is tree roots. Could more likely be poor construction work like getting back fill in to the lines, etc. Also, if it is a brand new house, then it should also have a back water valve, and there should be a float ball in the floor drain to prevent overflow. If either of those things are damaged or not installed properly, then you have an issue.  
 
The only other things that could be happening is that someone has flushed something that does not belong in the drains. Excess amounts of paper towel or maybe a child's toy, etc.

I agree that if it were an older house, the culprit would most likely be tree roots (I had that issue in my first house which was a 1940's-vintage house with big elms in the front), but if it's a new house that's unlikely.  
 
It's probably something that shouldn't be down there has somehow ended up there... or your backwater valve is maybe the culprit if it's not releasing to let the water pass properly.  
 
Either way, I'd call a plumber at this point.

Thanks everyone for their advice!!! Plumber is on the way!

What did the Plumber find with the sewer drain?

It's a dirty job , but shop vac out the floor , then get your hand in the bottom and clean out years of crud , dirt lint from the bottom of the P-trap in the floor drain

She said it was only the washing machine! Which is NOT sewage ! Secondly if it was the BWV the whole house would back up through the floor drain ! The Radon gas Floor drain covers have a small ball attached to an 1/1/2" P-trap that the washing machine does not drain through either ! Easiest way to check is take the floor drain cover off and pour a few 5 Gallon pails of water down it , if it backs up it's either the floor drain itself or the piping from the floor drain running into the 4" building drain ! There likely is toilets upstream of this connection so if only the washing machine backs it up it's one of the two things above guaranteed

BlaineTurner said "She said it was only the washing machine! Which is NOT sewage ! Secondly if it was the BWV the whole house would back up through the floor drain ! The Radon gas Floor drain covers have a small ball attached to an 1/1/2" P-trap that the washing machine does not drain through either ! Easiest way to check is take the floor drain cover off and pour a few 5 Gallon pails of water down it , if it backs up it's either the floor drain itself or the piping from the floor drain running into the 4" building drain ! There likely is toilets upstream of this connection so if only the washing machine backs it up it's one of the two things above guaranteed "

You need to re-read this post from the OP.........  
 
"I had clothes all over the floor, as I was in the middle of my big laundry day, so the clothes soaked up all the water, so there isn't any standing water anywhere. It's not like it's mass amounts of water flooding either, it's just coming up and overflowing, or sometimes just close to overflowing, every time we use any water (ie. flushing toilets, laundry, etc). It's a new house, so would tree roots be an issue?"  
 
Water is coming up anytime they use any water, including using a toilet. This is exactly why I figured that it was the back water valve having issues. Also, if any water source, including washing machine, toilets, etc. is causing the floor drain to back up (which should have one of those balls in it), then obviously all of these things are connected at some point. If the whole house is backing up, including toilets, washing machine, etc., then it is likely not an issue with the floor drain in the laundry room, as then it would only be the things closest to that drain that would back up. If a toilet way up stream of this is causing it to back up, then there is something wrong in the main line to the house.

And they cleaned out the pipe from the floor drain downstairs. The plumber said that the pipe was too greasy so the toilet paper was sticking to much to the sides, which allowed the water to drain slowly, not plug it completely, which is why it overflowed when I used the washing machine, and then the water drained away slowly. It was "sewage", as the plumber carried the device they used to clean the pipe all through my house and dripped sewage water all over my rugs that I hand cleaned last week *insert unhappy face*... so all in all, it was greasy pipes that led to paper being stuck and not draining proper! Thanks everyone for their comments!

when moved here in 2006 had floods al time even from washing clothes to so called city they ran a camera down lots of roots plus mainline on street came apart from my house sewer line but city charges for camera usage now plumber much cheaper for running camera down line to see what problem now I get roots cleaned twice a year and city reimburses your money back

Hey BlaineTurner, it was fun reading your post....especially when you mention radon floor drain HAHAHAHA!!! People, don't ever attempt to pour anything down the pipe labeled "radon", it's NOT a drain! I would sure hope you're not doing any plumbing work as a day job!!! :o