Areas We Serve

Areas We Serve

Why Is My Basement Floor Drain Backing Up?

Imagine heading down to the basement and spotting water bubbling up through the floor drain. Initially, you think it’s just some water you can mop up. But then it spreads across the floor, carrying a foul smell or worse, sewage.

This problem happens more often than you’d think. Between heavy rainstorms, aging sewer lines, and tree roots infiltrating old pipes, many homeowners encounter basement drain backup. Thankfully, quick action with the right help can prevent it from becoming a disaster. That’s where 2 Sons Plumbing Seattle comes in—we’ve helped families solve these emergencies for years.

What You Can Do Right Away

When water starts pushing up from a basement drain, every step counts. While you’re waiting for a plumber, here are a few things that can make a big difference:

Stop using water in the house – Even one flush or load of laundry adds to the mess.
Check your outside cleanout – If you have one, carefully loosen the cap. Sometimes that relieves pressure and confirms the line is blocked.
Vacuum up what you can – A wet/dry vac controls the situation.
Keep kids and pets away – Backing up water is dirty and unsafe.

These steps may not fix the cause, but they help you protect your home until professionals arrive. If you backed up the basement drain, treat it as an emergency and get help immediately.

Why Basements Back Up in Seattle

There’s always a reason behind a floor drain backup. In most cases, it’s the main sewer line. Here in Seattle, tree roots are a frequent culprit. They find tiny cracks in older pipes, work their way in, and trap debris to form a big clog.

Rainy weather adds another layer. When the city’s combined sewer and storm systems are overwhelmed, water can flow back into basements. Other times, grease buildup, “flushable” wipes, or even collapsed sections of pipe are to blame. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: water and waste heading the wrong direction – inside your home.

When to Call a Plumber

A slow sink or shower can sometimes wait. A basement backup can’t. You should contact a professional if:

Sewage or bad smells are coming from the drain.
More than one drain in your home is backing up.
Water comes back soon after you clean it up.

At 2 Sons Plumbing, we use sewer cameras, augers, and hydro jetting to clear the problem at its source. Snaking usually costs $300–$700, while jetting runs $600–$1,400 depending on how severe the blockage is. It’s not just a fix—it’s protection against repeat messes and long-term damage.

Seattle’s Trusted Team for Basement Drain Backups

When your basement floods, it’s not just about the water. It’s the stress, the smell, and the fear it could happen again. That’s why so many Seattle families trust 2 Sons Plumbing. We show up fast, explain things in plain language, and get your system working again.

Don’t wait if your basement floor drain is backing up. Call 2 Sons Plumbing Seattle at (206) 487-1757. We’ll arrive quickly, clear the blockage, and give you back the comfort and peace of mind you deserve.

2 Sons Plumbing, Electrical, Heating & Air

4.9

Based on 3327 reviews

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Victor Garcia

20:12 23 Oct 25

Dave and David came and cleared out a huge clog in my kitchen sink (both sides) that has been plaguing us for a while as well a ton of glass shards that got into the drain when our glass fridge shelf broke. Dave walked us through each step of the process and explained everything which was excellent. He also gave us advice about galvanized piping replacement. They even gave us a few free parts for the sink drain that had eroded away and didn’t charge extra for it!! All around 5 star service!!!

Victor Garcia

20:12 23 Oct 25

Steve P

20:40 21 Oct 25

Fantastic service and communication. Local company. Solved my clogged basement laundry utility sink. Dave and David were courteous, informative, professional and easy to engage with. Scheduling was easy (they came the next day) and they arrived within the expected time window. Transparent pricing and i could also apply a coupon. I will use them again.

Steve P

20:40 21 Oct 25

Ashton Wylde

05:46 21 Oct 25

Great service and Dave their plumber is the best. We have an odd house with even odder plumbing. The pipes are a mess of grandfathered-in open air nonsense, when our pump started making some noises (and a little leaking) after some DIY heat tape adventures (getting ready for colder weather), we were worried that we would need a massive repair but Dave came and looked at it and immediately realized we had unplugged the float plug from the pump plug which was 90% of the problem and the leak just need a little tightening of a flex joint. The company was quick and didn't charge for an estimate or in this case a quick "thats not plugged in right". The experience and the overall professionalism has convinced me that when I do finally need that big repair job, I'll call these guys.

Ashton Wylde

05:46 21 Oct 25

Spencer Charles

05:07 20 Oct 25

Booking an appointment was extremely easy, and we were able to get one just the next day. Communication was excellent with timely reminders and a call before our appointment. Kerry did a fantastic job both advising us and effectively resolving our issue.

Spencer Charles

05:07 20 Oct 25

LuAnn Mitchell

02:38 14 Oct 25

I have all good things to say about 2 Sons Plumbing. My first experience was a few years ago and the whole process went very smoothly. Making the appointment was easy and quick, the repair was done with no problem and I thought the price was fair. Recently, Dave from 2 Sons came out to look at several plumbing problems I was having and, within a matter of minutes, all of the problems were diagnosed. Dave gave me options and estimates all before he left my house. I haven’t had the work done yet but appreciate the information and the prices seemed fair to me. Dave was on time, professional and very knowledgeable. 2 Sons are my go to Plumbers.

LuAnn Mitchell

02:38 14 Oct 25

Kayla Huitt

16:58 13 Oct 25

Bob at 2 Sons Plumbing was amazing! We had a horribly backed up kitchen sink drain and he was able to fix it, and save us some money in the process! He heard what we had to say about our issue and double checked everything. Super friendly and very helpful. Thank you for the amazing work Bob!

Kayla Huitt

16:58 13 Oct 25

Mingmin Zhu

00:31 11 Oct 25

I had great experience with Chase, Riley, Seth, Manu, Nolan with a recent fix. They showed up promptly, transparent about the price upfront, set the expectations right, very professional, got things done perfectly, great communication and very honest and patient to answer all my questions, I will definitely use 2 sons again and will recommend it to my friends and neighbors.

Mingmin Zhu

00:31 11 Oct 25

Arul Menezes

00:41 10 Oct 25

Stellar job by Carey and his team at 2sons today. I had a complex job -- installing a yard hydrant/faucet for a garden across the (private) street. They had to go into the floor of the garage, run piping under the floor, out of the house, across the road. Had to cut into the asphalt, trench down a couple feet, then patch it all up again, including fixing the garage concrete floor. Super job. Looks really clean. Got it all done in a day.

Arul Menezes

00:41 10 Oct 25

First Name

00:04 10 Oct 25

A wonderful experience every time with 2 Sons plumbing. Jake and Angelo helped us with our plumbing issue. They showed up on time and gave a very reasonable estimate for the repair. We ended up replacing a couple of toilets and a part of a sink drain. They came back the next day to complete the work due to our schedule. Excellent communication, prompt, and hard working! Thank you so much Jake and Angelo!! We are very happy with 2 Sons and have used them multiple times.

First Name

00:04 10 Oct 25

Erica G.

00:11 09 Oct 25

Brandon and Ethan were awesome. I had a basic plumbing issue that I was too scared to address myself. They were very non judgmental and provided excellent customer service. I totally recommend 2 Sons Plumbing.

Erica G.

00:11 09 Oct 25