Toilet or Shower Backing Up During a Storm? What to Do First
When a toilet or shower backs up during a heavy South Florida storm, stop using water, keep people away from the wet area and do not use a plunger on sewage. The backup is either a blockage in your own pipe or the sewer system filling with stormwater, and a camera tells you which.
Why Drains Back Up in Heavy Rain
Many sewer systems take in stormwater through cracks and loose joints, and heavy rain can fill them faster than they drain. In November 2020, Tropical Storm Eta pushed the regional wastewater plant that serves Hollywood well past its normal flow, according to city officials, and sewage rose through manholes in East Hollywood.
When the system is full, the lowest fixtures in a house push water back first. A first-floor shower, a tub or a floor drain is usually the first to overflow.
In septic homes, a different problem appears. The water table rises in the rainy season and the drain field cannot take more water.
What to Do in the First Minutes
- Stop running water in the house, including washing machines and dishwashers.
- Do not flush. Every flush adds to the backup.
- Keep children, pets and bare feet away from standing water, which may contain sewage.
- Move rugs, electronics and valuables off the floor.
- Photograph the water and the damage for your insurer.
- Call a plumber and say that the backup began during rain.
Is It Your Pipe or the Sewer System?
| Sign | Likely source | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Only one fixture backs up and others work | Local blockage | Drain cleaning clears it |
| Several fixtures back up, lowest first | Main line clog or surcharge | Camera inspection needed |
| Neighbors report the same problem | Municipal system overloaded | Report to the utility, document damage |
| Backup clears when rain stops | Stormwater entering the system | Ask about a backwater valve |
| Backup persists after rain | Blockage or damage in your lateral | Repair or jetting |
After the Water Goes Down
Sewage-contaminated water needs careful cleanup. Porous materials such as carpet and drywall that were soaked usually have to be removed, and hard surfaces need cleaning and disinfecting. Water damage cleanup and restoration handles that work.
A camera inspection afterward shows whether the lateral is damaged. If it is, sewer line repair can address cracks or offset joints that let stormwater in.
A Backwater Valve Can Help in Some Homes
A backwater valve is a check valve in the sewer lateral that closes when flow reverses. It can protect a lowest floor from a surge in the main, though it must be installed correctly and kept clean. It needs a permit in most places, and it is not a substitute for repairing a damaged pipe.
Ask if it makes sense for your house. Our Dania Beach page explains the local storm pattern and how the city's patchy boundaries affect who to call.
Septic Owners: When the Yard Floods
Septic systems behave differently in a storm. When the ground is saturated, the drain field cannot absorb more water, so toilets and drains slow down or back up even though nothing is wrong with the tank.
The EPA's flood guidance advises septic owners to avoid using the system until the water recedes, and not to pump a tank that sits in floodwater, because groundwater can push an empty tank out of the ground. After the ground drains, have the tank and field inspected for damage.
About 44 percent of Hollywood relies on septic, so this is a common summer problem here. Limiting water use during and just after a storm gives the field time to recover.
Cleaning Up Safely After a Sewage Backup
- Wear waterproof gloves, boots and eye protection, and keep children and pets out of the area.
- Remove soaked carpet, padding and drywall, which cannot be saved after sewage contact.
- Scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water, then disinfect with an appropriate product.
- Run fans and dehumidifiers and open windows when the air outside is drier.
- Wash your hands thoroughly, and launder clothing separately in hot water.
- Bag contaminated debris and ask your waste hauler how to dispose of it.
Who To Call, and In What Order
Call a plumber first to stop the source and find the cause. If a camera shows the blockage is in the city main, report it to the utility and keep the inspection video as proof. If the blockage is in your lateral, the repair is yours.
Then call your insurer. Ask if you carry a sewer or water backup endorsement and what the deductible is. Photograph before you remove anything, and keep samples of damaged materials if the adjuster asks.
A cleanup company handles the drying and disinfection, and a plumber handles the pipe. Separate quotes keep each job clear.
Preventing the Next Storm Backup
A camera inspection every few years shows cracks, roots and sags before a storm turns them into a backup. Clearing roots and repairing joints reduces the places stormwater can enter.
Keep floor drains clean and covered, store valuables off low floors and make sure the lowest fixtures are not the only exit for a surge. A backwater valve can help in some homes, and it needs regular cleaning to work.
Compare Notes With Neighbors
If several houses on a street have the same problem at the same time, the cause is probably the municipal system, not each lateral. Ask neighbors, post in the community group and report to the utility together.
Document the time the backup began and ended. Utilities track these reports, and a pattern of reports helps them find the problem.
After You Are Dry
Once the water is gone and the house is cleaned, schedule the camera inspection while the storm is still fresh in your memory. A cracked lateral or an open joint is the quiet cause of many storm backups.
Keep Pets and Children Safe
Floodwater and sewage are health hazards, so keep children and pets out until the area is cleaned and disinfected. Wash hands often, and launder anything that touched contaminated water in hot water.
Insurance Basics
Many homeowner policies exclude sewer backup unless you added an endorsement, and flood from rising water needs a separate flood policy. Florida law generally bars a property claim unless the insurer is notified within one year of the date of loss, under section 627.70132.
Call your insurer early, take photos and keep receipts. Call (954) 697-4920 if you need a plumber.
Questions
Quick Answers
No. A plunger can push contaminated water around. Stop using water and call a plumber.
The city handles its main. If the blockage is in your lateral, the repair is yours. A camera inspection decides.
Yes. It can carry bacteria and viruses, so avoid contact and wear protective gear for cleanup.
Maintenance, camera checks of old laterals and sometimes a backwater valve all help.
Backup Happening Right Now?
Stop using water and call. A dispatcher answers at any hour.
Call (954) 697-4920