My basement floor drain backed up during a demo last winter

I was pulling out the old carpet in my Mill Woods basement when I saw water pooling near the wall. The main floor drain had frozen and backed up, soaking the new drywall I'd just put up. I had to rent a big heater from Home Depot for two days to thaw the line before I could even start cleaning. Has anyone else had a drain freeze up like that during a reno?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily5111mo ago

Oof that's brutal, especially with new drywall. Basement drains freezing is a classic Edmonton winter nightmare. My buddy had the same thing happen after he ripped out his old bathroom, the ground was so cold it just locked up. Honestly makes me want to pour a bucket of hot water down mine every week during a reno.

jones.grace1mo ago

Read somewhere that insulating the pipes below ground helps more than hot water. Ground stays cold for ages after you open it up.