What to do When Your Sewer Backs Up?

A sewer backup is never a good thing, but bad things do happen to good people. So if one happens in your home, what do you do about a sewer backup? What happens to any items or building components affected by a sewer backup? And how should you proceed with the cleanup? Read on, and we will try to answer some of these troubling questions.

What Exactly Is a Sewer Backup?

A sewer backup occurs when any water discharge originates from beyond a drain trap, a sewer, a storm sewer, a septic system or any body of water, like a lake or river. The water is classified as Category 3 water and is grossly unsanitary and may be carrying disease-causing agents like bacteria and viruses. The first concern when dealing with category 3 water is safety. Where mold is known to make some people sick, sewage has the potential to make everyone who comes into contact with it sick. Unless you have access to personal protective equipment (PPE), which includes special protective clothing, gloves, boots, and a full-face respirator, you need to avoid any exposure to Category 3, or black, water. Category 3 water does not have to appear dark in color. Even if the water looks clear, it remains dangerous. If a sewer backs up into your home, you need professional remediation help.

Illnesses and Injuries As a result of Sewer Backups

• Physical injuries – slip and fall, cuts and abrasions, insect bites
• Infections – gastro-intestinal, respiratory, hepatitis, aerosolized residues
• Non-Biological Contaminants – heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products
• Allergic Reactions – asthma attacks, skin rashes, eye, nose and throat irritations
• Emotional Trauma/ Stress

Cleanup Procedures

The first step is documentation. Pictures and a detailed list of damaged or affected personal items needs to be compiled. Once that is done the next step is to remove as much water as possible. The water can be pumped straight into a sanitary sewer, but depending on what caused the backup and whether the cause of the backup as already been rectified, this may not be possible at the time. This is another reason why the assistance of a water damage professional, like Water Mold Fire Restoration, is recommended. A restoration company has extractors that will vacuum up the water and pump it into a holding tank, which can then transport the sewage water to the proper facility for disposal. The depth of the water must be

considered before removal. If the backup happened in a basement or crawlspace, it may need to be removed at a slower rate. If a large volume of water is pumped out too quickly, the pressure that the water is exerting on the walls of the building could result in damage to the structure.

For most porous items that are contacted by sewage water, disposal is recommended. This would include items such as carpeting, over-stuffed or material covered furniture, drywall, baseboards, and toys. There are always exceptions to this rule, and monetary and sentimental values must be considered at this point. Any furnishing, personal items, or structural materials that are affected and deemed unsalvageable need to be placed in plastic bags and sealed before being removed from the home.

Does the entire house need to be torn down and replaced? Of course not! Some items and materials can be cleaned, treated with a disinfectant, and dried back to the original, or an acceptable, condition and need not be disposed of.

Once all affected materials have been removed, the affected areas need to be cleaned with an anti-microbial agent followed by the application of a disinfectant. Drying equipment; air movers, dehumidifiers, and air scrubbers should then be used to return the moisture content of remaining structural components back to acceptable levels. Once the drying is completed, the home will be ready for reconstruction.

Rely on a Pro

Cleaning up after a sewer backup is physically demanding work. At Water Mold Fire Restoration our technicians are nationally certified to perform this type of work. They have the proper safety equipment to keep themselves and your family safe while the cleanup is being performed. If a sewer backs up into your home or business call us at 800-905-0277 or email us at help@watermoldfire.net. We can have an emergency crew at your home within the hour and our initial inspection and estimate always free and without obligation.