A basement sewer backup is one of the messiest and most expensive problems a Chicago-area homeowner can face. The good news is that most backups give warning signs first, and most are preventable. Here is why basements in Chicago and the western suburbs back up, and what you can do to keep it from happening to yours.
Why Chicago Basements Back Up
Much of Chicago and Cook County sits on a combined sewer system, where stormwater and sewage share the same pipes. During the heavy storms that roll through Lyons, Berwyn, and Cicero, that system can overload and push water back toward the lowest drain in your home, which is almost always in the basement. Add the aging clay-tile sewer laterals common in older suburban homes, and a partial blockage from grease or roots is all it takes to turn a storm into a flooded basement.
Early Warning Signs
- Gurgling sounds from floor drains or toilets when you run water
- Slow drains in multiple fixtures at once
- Water pooling around the basement floor drain after rain
- A sewage smell near the lowest drain in the house
If you notice these, a camera inspection of your sewer line can pinpoint whether roots, grease, or a structural problem is setting you up for a backup.
How to Prevent a Backup
Install a backwater valve. A backwater valve sits in your sewer line and closes automatically when water tries to flow backward toward the house. It is the single most effective defense against a combined-sewer backup, and the City of Chicago has historically offered guidance and programs around overhead sewers and backwater valves for at-risk homes.
Keep the line clear. Grease and roots are the two most common causes of a blocked lateral. Routine drain and sewer cleaning keeps the line flowing so a storm surge has somewhere to go.
Maintain your sump pump. A working sump pump with a battery backup handles groundwater so it never reaches the point of backing up, even when the power goes out mid-storm.
Manage water around the foundation. Extend downspouts away from the house and grade soil so rainwater drains away from the foundation rather than toward it.
If a Backup Already Happened
Sewage backups are a health hazard, not just a cleanup chore. The CDC publishes guidance on cleaning up safely after sewage and flood water enters a home, and it is worth reading before you start. You can review it on the CDC floods and cleanup resource. Once the water is out, have the line inspected to find the cause, because a backup that happened once will happen again if the underlying blockage or break is still there.
When to Call a Professional
If your basement is actively backing up, or you have seen the warning signs above, Chicago Sewer Experts can scope the line, clear the blockage, and recommend whether a backwater valve or a repair to the sewer line is the right long-term fix. The team serves Lyons and the surrounding western Cook County suburbs. Call (708) 398-7600.
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