The first ten minutes
- Stop all water use. No flushing, no laundry, no dishwasher, no showers.
- Check the basement. A bubbling floor drain, tub or laundry sink is the typical place a main line backs up first.
- Keep children and pets away from standing water, and stay out of any water near outlets, a furnace or a water heater.
- Call Woodridge Public Works so the public sanitary line can be inspected. After hours, dial 911.
- Call a plumber for the line from your house to the connection, and tell them what you already did.
Why two calls? The Village is responsible for the sewer in the street, and the pipe from your house out to it is yours. A plumber can clear your side in minutes, but if the blockage is in the street main, cleaning your side only moves the problem.
Is it the main line
One slow sink is not a main line problem. Several fixtures that fail together, or a toilet that bubbles when the washer drains, point to the main.
| Sign | Main line? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Only the kitchen sink is slow | Unlikely | A branch under that sink is clogged |
| Tub gurgles when a toilet flushes | Likely | Air and water are pushed back from a blocked main |
| Basement floor drain bubbles or overflows | Very likely | It sits at the lowest point on the line |
| Every drain is slow, even upstairs | Likely | The shared drain is restricted |
| Sewer smell and wet spot in the yard | Possibly | The line may be broken as well as blocked |
A cleanout, a capped pipe in the basement or yard, is where a plumber can reach the main line directly.
How a plumber clears a main line
A cable machine is the first tool for most clogs. A cutting head spins at the end of a steel cable and bores through roots, paper and grease. It opens the pipe quickly, but it leaves a narrow channel behind it, and scale and roots left on the walls begin to rebuild at once.
Hydro jetting sends pressurized water through a nozzle that throws jets backward as it pulls forward. It scours the pipe wall and flushes debris to the sewer, which suits grease, heavy scale and repeat clogs. Jetting is not for every pipe, so a camera should show the condition first.
After clearing, the camera goes in again. It shows whether the line is clean, and whether roots, a sag or a crack caused the stoppage. Our sewer line cleaning visits end with footage you can see. If the camera finds damage, cleaning is only a pause, and a repair is the real answer.
What not to do
Skip chemical drain cleaners in a backed up main line. They sit in the standing water, can burn skin and make the plumber's work more hazardous. Do not enter a crawlspace or sump pit to look for the cause, and do not try to open a cleanout cap under pressure, because sewage can spray out.
Sewer gas is a real hazard. If the smell is strong, open windows, leave the basement and call. If you smell natural gas, leave the house and call Nicor Gas at 888-642-6748 and 911.
Main line clogs in Woodridge
Village Public Works handles collection and transmission of storm and sanitary sewage, and sewage goes on to a treatment plant run by DuPage County. When a backup happens, the Village says to call Public Works right away so the public sanitary line can be inspected, and to dial 911 after hours. Reading the Village's sanitary sewer page before an emergency saves a minute when it counts.
The Village also prohibits draining sump pump water, pool water, and gutter or downspout drainage into the sanitary sewer. In heavy rain, those connections can overload the line and push water into basements. Disconnect any that exist.
Woodridge reimburses 50 percent of the installation cost, up to a maximum for each project type, for an overhead sewer system, a sump pump or a check valve, after approval and presentation of paid receipts. If your line backs up more than once, ask Public Works for current terms before work starts. Approval comes first.
Census-based estimates put the median Woodridge home at 1980. Clay and cast iron laterals from that period collect roots and scale, which is why repeat clogs are common.
Rules shift at the border. In Bolingbrook, the private lateral is the owner's responsibility, and the Village says to stop using water and contact Public Works. In Darien, sewer service comes from three districts, and DuPage County-served addresses can call a 24/7 backup line at 630-985-7400.
Preventing the next backup
Keep wipes, paper towels and grease out of the drain, even the ones labeled flushable. Schedule a camera check if you have large trees near the lateral. If the line has backed up more than once, ask about an overhead sewer system or a check valve, which keep sewage out of the basement when the public line surcharges.
Need a plumber while you read?
Our line is open around the clock, and dispatch can book a visit for the same day when a technician is free.
Questions we hear
A licensed plumber clears the line from your house to the connection. Village Public Works handles the public sewer in the street, so call them too whenever a backup happens.
The Village says to dial 911 after hours. A crew is dispatched. Call a plumber for your own line as well.
Several drains slowing at once, a gurgling toilet or a bubbling basement floor drain point to the main.
Jetting cleans the pipe wall and suits grease and scale. Cabling opens a blockage fast. The camera tells us which suits your pipe.
The reimbursement program covers 50 percent of installation cost, up to a maximum for each project type, for an overhead sewer system, a sump pump or a check valve. Approval is needed first, so ask Public Works for current terms.
It depends on your policy. Many require added sewer backup coverage, so read it or ask your agent.
If the line keeps clogging, cleaning plus a camera visit is the quickest way to learn why, starting with our sewer line cleaning service.