The first hour, in order

Most backups show up at the lowest drain in the house: a shower, tub, floor drain or a ground-floor toilet. The goal is to stop feeding the blockage and protect the people in the house.

  1. Stop all water use.No flushing, showers, laundry, dishwasher or running taps anywhere in the house. In a full blockage every gallon you send down comes back out of the lowest opening.
  2. Tell everyone at home.Put a note on bathroom doors if you need to. One flush by someone who did not know can turn a puddle into a flooded room.
  3. Close the main water shutoff if anything is still running.If a supply line is leaking, a toilet keeps refilling or you cannot stop water reaching the drains, close the main shutoff where the water line enters the house or at the meter.
  4. Ventilate and move belongings.Open windows, run a fan that is well away from the water, and move rugs, boxes and anything porous out of the path of the water.
  5. Document it.Take photos and short videos of where the sewage came up, how far it spread and what it touched. Note the time it started and which fixtures were in use.
  6. Call a licensed plumber you have checked.Look up the contractor's license at cslb.ca.gov before anyone starts work, and ask how they plan to clear the line and whether they can run a camera afterward.

Where is the blockage likely to be?

These are rough clues, not a diagnosis. A camera inspection settles it.

  • IfOnly one sink or one toilet is backing up and the rest of the house drains normallyThenThe clog is probably in that fixture's branch line, not the main sewer line.
  • IfThe tub or shower fills when a toilet is flushed or the washer drainsThenThe blockage is likely in the main line or lateral, downstream of where those branches join.
  • IfSewage comes out of the outdoor cleanout or puddles around itThenThe line is blocked further toward the street, somewhere between the cleanout and the public main.
  • IfNeighbors are backing up too, or sewage is surfacing in the streetThenThe public sewer main may be blocked. Report it to the City of Fullerton as well as calling for help with your own line.

What not to do during a backup

After the line is cleared

Clearing the blockage gets the house draining again, but it does not tell you why the line blocked. In many older Fullerton homes the answer is roots entering clay joints, a cracked or corroded section of cast iron, or a sagging stretch of pipe that collects waste. If the plumber can run a camera through the line once it is open, ask for the recording and a short written note of what it showed and at what distance from the cleanout.

Cleanup is its own job. Hard floors can usually be cleaned and disinfected, but carpet, pad and drywall that soaked up sewage often need to be removed. If a large area was affected, ask your insurer whether they want a restoration company to assess it before anything is torn out.

Questions to ask the plumber who clears the line

  1. What did you use to clear it, a cable machine or a water jetter, and why?
  2. Can you run a camera now that the line is open, and will I get a copy of the video?
  3. How far from the cleanout was the blockage, and what was it?
  4. Do you see damage that will cause this to happen again?
  5. Is anything here a problem with the public main rather than my lateral?

Common questions

Can I use the toilet if only the shower is backing up?

No. If the shower is filling with dirty water, the main line is likely blocked and flushing will make it worse. Hold off on all water use until the line is cleared.

Is a sewage backup an emergency?

It is urgent because of the health risk and the water damage. If sewage is spreading or reaching electrical equipment, keep people out of the area and get the line cleared as soon as you can.

Will my insurance cover a sewer backup?

That depends on your policy. Some include backup coverage, some require an add-on, and many treat damage inside the house differently from the pipe itself. Call your insurer with your photos before cleanup starts.

General information for Fullerton, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.