Sewer backup: what to do first
A sewer backup is more than a clog. Wastewater that rises through a floor drain carries bacteria, and it can ruin flooring and stored belongings in a few hours. The first minutes matter more than anything we do when we arrive.
Before we arrive: your first ten minutes
Do these while the dispatcher confirms your address and the crew is on the way.
Stop all water
No showers, laundry, dishwasher or flushing. Every drop you add goes to the lowest opening in the house.
Keep people and pets out
Sewage water can carry bacteria. Wear rubber gloves and boots if you must go in, and wash with soap afterward.
Turn off power in a wet basement
If water reaches outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, do not step into it. Stay out and call us.
Open windows if there is a sewer smell
Ventilate the room. If anyone feels dizzy or ill, go outdoors and tell the dispatcher.
Take photos of the water line and affected items before you move anything. Your homeowners insurer may ask for them. The Authority warns that basic homeowner policies often exclude sewer backups, so read your policy or ask your agent whether an endorsement applies before cleanup costs pile up.
Is the blockage in your line or in the street?
The sewer line leaving your house is called a lateral. It runs from the foundation to the main in the street or easement. A clog in your lateral affects only your home, while a blocked main affects the street.
Ask a neighbor whether their drains are slow. If several homes are backing up, call the Horsham Water and Sewer Authority at (215) 672-8011. It checks the street main at no charge on a blockage call, which can save you a service fee. The Authority owns the service lateral up to the right-of-way or easement line, and you own the building lateral from there to the house.
Signs the main sewer line is clogging
Several drains slow at once
A shower, sink and toilet that all drain poorly point downstream of all of them, at the main.
Gurgling when water runs
Air trapped behind a blockage escapes through the nearest trap. A toilet that burbles when the washer drains is a classic sign.
Sewer odor in the basement
A smell near a floor drain or cleanout means gas is forcing past a blockage.
Water pooling at a floor drain
This is the last stage before a backup. Act on it the same day.
Wet spots or sunken turf over the line
Greener grass or a soft patch between the house and street can mean a leak or a collapse. Ask us to camera the line.
How we clear a main sewer line
We start at the cleanout, a capped pipe near the foundation or in the basement. If there is no cleanout, we pull a toilet or reach the line through a roof vent. Authority rules call for a building-lateral cleanout at the right-of-way, at every bend and every 100 feet, so a longer lateral may offer several entry points. A cable machine goes in first, because it is fast and often enough.
- 1
Locate and open access
We find the cleanout, cap it, relieve pressure and set up drop cloths and a catch container.
- 2
Clear the blockage
A sized cutter head chews through paper, wipes and soft debris. A root cutter handles fibrous mats, and the head is chosen for your pipe.
- 3
Jet where needed
If the pipe wall is coated, hydro jetting washes grease and scale off. We decide this after we see the cable come back.
- 4
Camera the line
We record the run to the street connection and note pipe material, low spots, offsets and cracks.
- 5
Test and report
We run water and watch the line. You get a plain explanation of the cause and any repair we recommend.
Main line backing up now?
Tell the dispatcher which drains are affected and whether water is on the floor. We take after-hours calls and book same-day visits when we can. Call (215) 714-6692.
Why main lines clog in the first place
Roots are the most common cause in older neighborhoods. A hairline joint lets in a trace of moisture, roots follow it, and a hair-thin root grows into a plug over the years. A first cutting buys time, and a repair is the lasting fix.
Wipes sold as flushable are another cause. The Authority tells customers to put wipes in the trash, since they do not break down like toilet paper and they snag on roots and rough joints. Grease from kitchens forms a second layer that narrows the pipe each year.
Pipes also sag. A low spot, called a belly, holds water and solids that never wash through. The camera finds them, and a cleaning only helps until the next buildup.
Cleaning is not the same as repair
Sewer line cleaning covers
- Cable or jet clearing of a blockage
- Root cutting to restore flow
- A camera recording of the run
- Advice on prevention and schedule
It does not cover
- Cracked, offset or collapsed pipe
- A belly that traps solids
- Roots coming through broken joints for good
- Replacing the lateral, which is sewer line repair
If the camera shows damage, we say so in plain terms and show you the footage. A cleaning that leaves a broken pipe in place only delays the next backup.
What affects the price of sewer line cleaning
Main-line work depends on what is in the pipe and how we reach it. We quote before we start.
Access to the line
A cleanout makes the job faster. Pulling a toilet or working through a vent adds labor.
Length of the run
A longer lateral to the street takes more time and more cable.
Cause of the blockage
Soft debris clears quickly. Dense roots or heavy scale call for cutters or jetting.
Camera inspection
Recording the line adds time and gives you a record of the pipe.
After-hours timing
A midnight or weekend visit costs more to staff than a weekday one, and we say so up front.
Insurance sometimes covers cleanup after a backup if you carry the right endorsement. Want your real number? Call (215) 714-6692.
After the line is open
Wait a few hours before running a full laundry load, and watch the lowest drain. If water pools again, call us the same day. For a bigger picture of pipe condition, a camera inspection can be booked on its own, and we handle smaller clogs through drain cleaning.
We also dispatch to neighboring communities such as Warrington. If you are outside Horsham, give us your address so we can confirm service.
Questions about sewer line cleaning in Horsham
Yes. Our dispatch line is open 24/7, and we book same-day appointments when available, overnight and on weekends. Describe which drains are backing up, and the dispatcher will tell you what to do until the crew arrives.
Stop using water, keep people and pets away and avoid touching the water. Turn off power only if you can do so without stepping into the water.
Both, split at a line. The Authority owns the service lateral to the right-of-way or easement line, and you own and maintain the building lateral on your side. Keep any camera recording we make, since it shows which side a defect sits on.
If neighbors have slow drains too, the main may be blocked. The Authority will check the street main for free when you call (215) 672-8011, and we can camera your lateral to confirm it is clear.
Yes, if a joint stays open. A cleaning removes the roots but not the entry point, so we may recommend repair after seeing the camera footage.
Many standard policies exclude sewer backup unless you added an endorsement, and the Authority says the same about basic homeowner coverage. Check your policy and photograph the damage.
A simple clog may take about an hour of work. A longer line, heavy roots or no cleanout takes longer, and we give you a window once we see the line.
No. It will not clear a main line blockage, and it can harm the pipe and the plumber who works on it.
Sources we checked
Local facts on this page come from these public pages. Plumbing work in Pennsylvania falls under the Uniform Construction Code, which adopts the International Plumbing Code (IPC) provisions, so ask Horsham Code Enforcement which edition applies before a permit is pulled. Rules and phone numbers change, so confirm with the office before you act.
- nwwater.com/horsham-water-and-sewer-customers Authority report
- horshamwater-sewer.com/sites/default/files/2026-02/horsham-water-se... Authority rules
- horshamwater-sewer.com/sewer-backups Authority page
- horshamwater-sewer.com/did-you-know Authority page