What Should You Do About a Sewage Backup?
Stop every bit of water use, keep people and pets out of the wet area, stay away from wet electrical parts and call a cleanup crew and a plumber right away. Sewage is Category 3 water that carries germs and soaks into the house fast. Call (888) 774-9605 and get the pump-out started.
Stop Sending Water Down Any Drain
A backed-up sewer pipe is already full. Every flush, shower or load of laundry adds more water that has nowhere to go except out the lowest opening in the house. Tell everyone in the home to stop using sinks and toilets, and turn off the washer and dishwasher.
If a toilet bowl is rising toward the rim, lift the tank lid and push the flapper closed, or turn the small valve behind the toilet. That keeps the tank from refilling. Never flush to see whether the problem went away.
Once the water is off, call Sewer Backup Cleanup Team 24/7. A crew can begin pumping out the sewage while a plumber works on the blockage, as long as no new sewage is coming in.
- No flushing, showers, laundry or dishwasher
- Close the toilet flapper or supply valve if the bowl keeps rising
- Lift small items off the floor near the lowest drain only when it is safe to step there
- Skip chemical drain cleaner, which can burn the plumber and the cleanup crew who meet it later
Sewage Backup Services That Fit This Question
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Basement Sewer Backup Cleanup
Basement sewage gets pumped out, soaked carpet and drywall come out, and the whole lower level gets sanitized.
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Toilet Sewer Backup Cleanup
Toilet sewage soaks grout, flooring and the subfloor, so the crew extracts, sanitizes and checks the room below.
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Main Sewer Line Backup Cleanup
A blocked main sewer line sends sewage through several drains, and the crew cleans every room it reached.
Protect People and Power First
Sewage carries bacteria, viruses and parasites. Children, pets, older adults, pregnant women and anyone with a weak immune system should stay out of the wet area. A person who has to step in needs rubber boots, waterproof gloves and eye protection, then a long wash with soap and water afterward.
Water and electricity do not mix. Do not touch wet outlets, extension cords or appliances standing in sewage. Switch off power only from dry ground, and call an electrician if the breaker panel sits in the wet zone.
If the furnace, air handler or ductwork is in the affected area, turn the system off. A running fan can spread contaminated air and dust into rooms that were clean.
- Keep children and pets out of every wet room
- Wear boots, gloves and eye protection for any step inside
- Leave wet outlets, cords and appliances alone
- Shut down the furnace and air conditioner when their parts sit in the wet area
Record the Damage Before Anything Moves
Take photos of the drain or toilet the sewage came from, the water on the floor and each damaged item. Write down the time you found it and anything that was in the room. These notes help later if the loss turns into an insurance claim.
Do not run a household or shop vacuum on sewage. It can throw a contaminated mist into the air, and the machine is ruined. Skip bleach on carpet too, because it cannot reach the pad and floor underneath.
The technician adds to your notes on arrival with dated photos, a list of every material removed and daily moisture readings. That file gives the adjuster facts to work with.
- Photograph the source drain, the floor and the damaged belongings
- Write down when the backup started and what it reached
- Keep receipts for hotel stays, supplies and any emergency work
- Hold off on bagging belongings until they are photographed
What the Cleanup Crew Does Next
The crew pumps out the sewage with extraction equipment, then maps the moisture to see how far it traveled. Porous materials that soaked it up come out: carpet, pad, insulation and the lower part of drywall are the usual ones. Concrete, tile and framing stay.
Next the technician scrubs and sanitizes the surfaces that stay with an EPA-registered disinfectant. Air movers and LGR dehumidifiers dry the structure to the IICRC S500 standard, and daily readings show when the job is done.
A plumber clears the blocked pipe and repairs it if needed. Rebuild work like drywall, paint and flooring is quoted after the drying. Sewage in the house right now? Call (888) 774-9605 and start the cleanup.
- Pump-out and extraction of the contaminated water
- Removal of carpet, pad, insulation and low drywall that soaked it up
- Cleaning and sanitizing of floors, framing and slabs
- Drying with daily moisture readings until the goal is met
Get the basement sanitized (888) 774-9605
More Sewage Backup Questions
What Should You Do About a Sewage Backup: More Answers
Should I scoop the sewage out myself?
No. Bailing sewage by hand exposes skin and clothes to germs, and it cannot reach what soaked into the floor and walls. Let a crew with pumps and protective gear do it, and keep the family clear.
Is it safe to stay in the house?
It depends on how far the sewage spread and whether the air handler sits in the wet area. Many families stay when the sewage is limited to one sealed-off space. The technician tells you what is safe after the first look.
Can I pour bleach on the floor and be done?
No. Bleach cannot reach water that soaked into carpet pad, wood or drywall, and mixing it with other cleaners can make toxic fumes. The crew removes porous materials and uses an EPA-registered disinfectant on the surfaces that stay.
Should I call my insurer before the cleanup crew?
Call both right away. Do not let sewage sit while you wait on an adjuster. Coverage depends on the policy, so check with your own insurer, and rely on the crew's photos and records to back up the claim.
Water damage gets worse by the hour. Call now to get sewer backup cleanup started, 24/7.