How to Unclog a Basement Floor Drain

The basement floor drain removes standing water and any floodwater from your basement. If your basement floor drain clogs up, it can cause water to back up and flood everywhere. This is a very traumatic experience for everyone, which is why you will need to do everything you can to unclog the basement floor drain.

You probably don't need to hire an expensive plumber. Most people can complete this project themselves.

Step 1 - Don Your Gear and Prepare

First prepare yourself to work on the basement floor drain. Put on your old clothes; also wear your gloves and a pair of boots. Use a bucket to scoop up as much of the water as possible from the basement. Don't turn on any taps until you have unclogged the basement floor drain.

Step 2 - Locate the Access Point

Most basement drains are large and should already have an access port somewhere in the drain line. The access point will make it much easier for you to rod the pipes with a plumber's rod or snake. The access hatch allows you to deal with the blockage without having to navigate the sharp bend between the drain and the pipe.

Step 3 - Rod the Basement Floor Drain

Push the rod into the drain and pour a small amount of water down the drain. Continue rodding the drain; try to push the rod slightly further each time. The water will help to wash out anything which is causing the blockage. Try to push the rod as far as you can until it won't go any further.

If you're using a snake rather than regular plumbing rods, you should be able to turn the handle to advance the snake farther down the drain. With any luck, this will catch the debris, which you can then remove fairly easily. You don't want to push anything farther into the drain because this will cause problems for you or someone else later on.

Step 4 - Repeat

If you're not able to deal with the blockage the first time, you should repeat the process again until you can get rid of the whole blockage. Once the drain is clear, use hot water to stop the problem from returning.

Step 5 - Prevent Future Blockage of Your Basement Floor Drain

You can use a number of different techniques to prevent a clogged drain in the future. If you find your basement floor drain is clogged with lots of soap, you can try using hot water and vinegar to break down the soap deposits. Also make sure that you're not using too much soap when you wash your clothes.

Tell members of your family what can and can't be poured down the drains. For example, you should cool any fat and put in the trash rather than tipping it down the drain.