Is water supposed to be visible in the floor drain?

Question

I have two floor drains in my basement. Both have water up to the top of the drain. If I pour water in, they do drain, but it doesn't look right to me. We have had record rainfall recently. Also, the waterline access outside in the yard, (covered by the round metal plate that says "Water"), is all slimey and water seems to be leaking out of the top & running down onto the sidewalk. It seems to have carved out a little ravine down the hill so I'm wondering if water gushes out of it when it rains; when I saw it, it was just wet. This is a second home, so I'm not there when it rains, but I can tell there has been water in the basement but not sure from where. Can anyone enlighten me?

Answer 1

Is the house attached to a municipal sewer system? If the house is a little on the older side then what may have happened is that the sewer backed up into the basement.  The sewer outside is still really full therefore the water level is still very high in the floor drains. Once the water receeds in your area and the sewers can catch up the level will drop.  

Answer 2

Water should only be visible in the bottom of the trap in the bottom of the drain. If it is to the top, you have other problems.

Answer 3

It could be that the ground is saturated and the water is traveling along the outside of the pipe and out at these points, If you have water standing in the drain down stairs then put a 1/4 cup of bleach in it to keep stuff from growing in it.and wait until next week or so and see if it dries up, as long as you don't get more rain.

Answer 4

Well your answer is possibly. Floor drains usually have what is called a gulley. This site has pictures that will explain a gulley http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl...

The principle is the gulley trap creates a seal with water which prevents bad smells coming back up from the drain.

However it is unusual for these to be full right to the top. it is possible that the gulley is partially blocked with silt or such like. The way to solve this is to remove the gulley grate and then get a hose pipe on full bore directed into the gulley. Then when the gulley is overflowing get a drain rod and appropriate size plunger and rod the gulley with vigour. You should find this reduces the gulley water level. Best of luck!!

Soon I will be adding tutorials to my website www.drmaintenance.co.uk keep em peeled!

Answer 5

From what you say I agree w/ Mr O.. Add the bleach too like he suggested.. Hope your water tabl goes down  GL