Sewer Backup in Baltimore, MD: Causes & Fixes

Why is sewage backing up into my Baltimore home?Basement sewage backups are a familiar problem in Baltimore. They come either from a blocked or broken private lateral or from the public sewer, and the city has offered a reimbursement program for qualifying cleanups caused by the public system. Reporting quickly and identifying the source decides who handles the repair.

Act now

A sewage backup is an emergency: it spreads quickly, contaminates everything it touches and gets worse every time a fixture is used.

Call (866) 417-0220

Why it happens in Baltimore

Public sewer blockages

Blockages and capacity problems in public sewers push sewage back into the lowest drains.

Root-filled clay laterals

Old clay laterals under sidewalks admit roots that trap waste.

Collapsed old pipe

Century-old laterals settle and collapse, stopping flow.

Grease and wipes

Grease and flushed wipes build up in old rowhouse drains and laterals.

Signs to watch for

Dirty water rising in a basement floor drain
Sewage in a tub or shower when a toilet is flushed
Several drains gurgling or slow at once
Water coming out of the main cleanout
Sewer odor in the lowest level of the home

Emergency, or can it wait?

Call right away if…

Sewage in living space
Backup affecting all drains
Backup during a storm that keeps rising

Usually OK to schedule if…

A single slow drain with no sewage
Occasional gurgling with normal flow

What Baltimore homeowners can check first

Report the backup to the city promptly
Note whether neighbors are affected
Check whether your basement cleanout is full
Check whether your basement has a backwater valve
Photograph damage before cleanup for any claim

Unfinished basement with exposed pipes — Stock photo: Oleksandr Chernobai / Unsplash

How our plumbers fix it

Open the cleanout to locate whether the blockage is inside or outside the house.
Clear the main line with a cable machine or jetter.
Run a sewer camera to find roots, breaks or sags.
Check for a missing or failed backwater valve if backups follow storms.

Sewer Backup in Baltimore: questions

What should I do first when sewage backs up in a Baltimore basement?

Stop using water, keep people away from the sewage, report it to the city, document damage and call a plumber to check your lateral.

How do I know if the backup is the city’s fault?

If your lateral is clear and the public sewer is blocked or full, the city system is the cause. A plumber’s camera inspection helps show this.

Can I prevent future backups in Baltimore?

Keep grease and wipes out of drains, repair damaged laterals, and consider a backwater valve installed to code.

Should I clean up a Baltimore sewage backup myself?

Small backups can be handled with protective gear; larger ones are safer with professional cleanup. Discard soaked porous materials.

Next steps

Main Sewer Line CleaningThe main sewer line carries all of a home's wastewater to the city sewer or septic tank.Sewer Line Repair in BaltimoreSewer line repair fixes damage to the building sewer or lateral, the pipe that carries wastewater from a house to the public sewer main or septic system.Sewer Camera InspectionA sewer camera inspection sends a waterproof camera on a flexible push rod through the sewer lateral to record its condition.Hydro JettingHydro jetting cleans drain and sewer lines with water at high pressure, delivered through a hose with a nozzle that has rear-facing jets.Emergency PlumbingEmergency plumbing is urgent repair work for a problem that is actively causing water damage, a sanitation hazard, a gas risk or a total loss of water or drainage in a home.

National guide: Sewer Backup · Plumbing in Baltimore · Sewer Backup in Washington