What should I do if my sewer backs up?

Immediate actions

1. Stop flushing and running water anywhere in the building — every fixture feeds the same blocked line.
2. Block off the affected area and treat any standing water as contaminated wastewater.
3. Call the sewer utility to check whether the problem is on the municipal side of the connection.
4. Request a plumber and mention how many fixtures are backing up, since that indicates whether it's a fixture clog or a main-line blockage.
5. Document the damage with photos before cleanup, for insurance purposes.

Urgent vs. can wait

One slow-draining fixture is usually a local clog you can schedule normally. Sewage surfacing from a floor drain, tub, or more than one fixture at once is a health hazard and should be treated as an emergency, not scheduled for later.

What a licensed plumber does

• Runs a camera down the main line to locate roots, a belly (sag), grease buildup, or a collapsed section
• Clears the blockage with an auger or hydro-jetting depending on the cause
• Recommends a backwater valve if the home is prone to backups during heavy rain or municipal surcharge

Common mistakes

• Pouring chemical drain cleaner into a backed-up system, which does not reach a main-line blockage and can create a hazard for whoever clears it
• Continuing to run water "to flush it through," which raises the water level and spreads contamination
• Cleaning up sewage-contaminated materials without gloves and proper disposal

South Florida notes

During heavy summer rain and hurricane season, South Florida's aging combined and separated sewer infrastructure can surcharge, pushing wastewater back into low-lying fixtures even when a home's own line is clear — which is why calling the utility first, alongside the plumber, matters here more than in drier regions.