Emergency Drain Cleaning: When to Call Right Away

Some drain problems can wait until morning. Others absolutely cannot. Knowing the difference could save your home from serious water damage, health hazards, and a much bigger repair bill. After 20 years of serving Bensalem and Bucks County, we've seen what happens when people wait too long — and it's never pretty.

Here's a straightforward guide to help you figure out when you need to pick up the phone right now versus when you can schedule something for the next day.

Call Immediately If You Have Raw Sewage Backup

If sewage is backing up into your home — through your toilet, floor drain, or shower — that is a plumbing emergency. Full stop. Raw sewage contains bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that are a serious health risk to your family. You need to stop using all water in the house and call a plumber immediately.

Don't try to clean it up yourself without proper protective equipment. Don't run any more water. And don't wait until morning. This is exactly the kind of situation our 24/7 emergency team handles across Bensalem, Langhorne, Bristol, and all of Bucks County.

Call Immediately If Water Is Flooding Your Basement

Water on your basement floor from a backed-up drain is an emergency. Every minute that water sits there, it's damaging your foundation, your flooring, your walls, and anything stored down there. If you have a finished basement, the damage can be catastrophic.

Turn off the water supply to your home if you can, and call us right away. We'll get there fast and stop the flooding at the source.

Call Immediately If All Your Drains Are Backed Up

When multiple drains in your home stop working at the same time — your toilet won't flush, your sinks are backed up, your shower won't drain — that's a main sewer line blockage. You can't use any water in your home safely until it's cleared.

This is not a wait-until-tomorrow situation. A main line blockage will only get worse, and every time someone uses water in the house, it adds more pressure to the system. Call an emergency plumber in Bensalem right away.

Call Immediately If You Smell Sewer Gas

A strong sewer gas smell — like rotten eggs — inside your home is a serious warning sign. Sewer gas contains methane and hydrogen sulfide, which can be toxic in high concentrations and even flammable. If the smell is strong, get everyone out of the house and call both your gas company and a plumber.

A faint sewer smell near a drain might just be a dried-out P-trap, which is a minor fix. But a strong, pervasive smell throughout the house is an emergency.

When You Can Wait Until Morning

Not every drain problem requires a midnight call. Here are situations where it's generally okay to wait until the next day:

• One slow drain that's still draining (just slowly)
• A single toilet that's clogged but you have other bathrooms available
• A minor drain odor that's not getting worse
• A drain that's been slow for a while but isn't backing up

What to Do While You Wait for the Plumber

If you're dealing with a drain emergency and waiting for us to arrive, here's what you should do:

• Stop using all water in the house — every flush and every sink adds more pressure
• Turn off the main water supply if water is actively flooding
• Keep children and pets away from any sewage backup areas
• Open windows if you smell sewer gas
• Don't use any electrical equipment near standing water

All Drains Plumbing is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency drain cleaning and sewer service in Bensalem, Langhorne, Bristol, Trevose, Feasterville, Southampton, Yardley, and all of Bucks County. We don't charge extra for nights or weekends — we just show up and fix the problem.