Who Should You Call for a Sewage Backup?

The Plumber Clears the Blocked Pipe

A plumber finds out why the sewage came up. That can mean running a cable through the cleanout, putting a camera into the pipe or digging up a broken section. When the pipe is blocked by roots, grease or a collapse, the plumber is the one who fixes it.

The plumber does not pump out a flooded basement, throw away soaked carpet or sanitize the floor. That second half of the problem needs a crew trained in Category 3 water.

Ask the plumber whether the blockage is on the house side or out in the street. The answer decides who pays for the pipe work, and it tells the sewer authority whether to look at the main.

• Clearing the blockage with a cable or other tools
• Camera work to see what is wrong inside the pipe
• Repair or replacement of a cracked or collapsed section
• Advice on a backwater valve to help prevent a repeat

Sewage Backup Services That Fit This Question

• Main Sewer Line Backup Cleanup

  A blocked main sewer line sends sewage through several drains, and the crew cleans every room it reached.

• City Sewer Backup Cleanup

  A backup from the city main still lands in the house, so the crew extracts, sanitizes and documents.

• Floor Drain Sewer Backup Cleanup

  Drain backups flood the lowest room, so the crew extracts sewage, cleans the slab and checks walls.

The Cleanup Crew Handles Everything the Sewage Touched

A water damage crew pumps out the sewage, maps where the moisture went and removes the porous materials that soaked it up. Then the technician sanitizes the hard surfaces that stay and dries the structure with air movers and dehumidifiers.

The crew works in protective gear and follows IICRC S500, the industry drying standard. The job file holds photos, a list of removed materials and daily moisture readings for the insurer.

Call Sewer Backup Cleanup Team at (888) 774-9605 any hour of the day or night. A local crew can often start the pump-out while the plumber is still on the way, as long as the sewage has stopped coming up.

• Pump-out and extraction of contaminated water
• Removal of carpet, pad, insulation and low drywall
• Sanitizing of floors, framing and slabs
• Drying and records for the claim

Other Calls That Make Sense

Your insurer should hear about the loss soon, since coverage for sewer backup depends on the policy. Ask what documents are needed and keep a note of the claim number. Do not wait for the adjuster before the cleanup starts.

If neighbors are seeing sewage too, the blockage may be in the city main. Call the sewer authority or public works office and report it. Renters should tell the landlord or property manager right away.

An electrician should look at any breaker panel, outlet or appliance that sits in the wet area. Dial 911 first for a gas smell, a fire or a medical emergency.

• The insurance company, for the claim number and next steps
• The sewer authority or public works, if a street main may be blocked
• The landlord or property manager, for a rental
• An electrician, for wet outlets or a panel standing in water

The Best Order to Make the Calls

First stop all water use in the house, so the problem stops growing. Second, call the cleanup crew and the plumber back to back, since each one's work shapes the other's. Third, call the insurer, and fourth, call the city if the street may be involved.

Take photos while you wait, and keep children and pets away from the wet area. Sewage in the house right now? Dial (888) 774-9605 and start the cleanup.

• Stop all water use first
• Call the cleanup crew and the plumber right away
• Report the loss to the insurer
• Call the sewer authority if neighbors are affected

More Sewage Backup Questions

• How Much Does It Cost to Clean Up a Sewage Backup?
• Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Sewage Backup?
• How Long Does It Take to Dry Out After a Sewage Backup?
• What Should You Do About a Sewage Backup?