How To Deal With Sewage Backup

There are few nightmares more horrifying to a homeowner than a sewage backup. Beyond the damage it can cause to your health and property, it’s also just a disgusting mess that requires time- and labor-intense cleanup efforts, not to mention specialized cleaning products. If it’s raw sewage that’s backed up, it’s even worse, because just the process of cleaning it can lead to health issues that can turn into serious diseases if you’re not careful.

While situations as serious as this call for help from professionals who are equipped with the materials and experience to handle the problem, there are some steps you can take to help out. A careful, thoughtful approach to a sewage backup can lessen the damage caused to your home while you’re waiting for an expert to come to fix things more formally.

How To Handle A Sewage Backup In Your Home

Here are some of the simple steps you can take in order to slow or even prevent major damage in the wake of a sewage backup:

*Wear proper protective equipment before working in any part of the home that has been affected by the sewage backup. You should consider wearing coveralls, a face mask, rubber boots and gloves, and eye wear that protects your eyes.

*Switch off the water supply in your home and don’t use any water in your home that’s connected to the same systems as the sewage backup. You may think your sink water is safe, but if it’s part of the same water system that has a sewage backup, it’s better to not risk it and get clean water from another source entirely.

*Remove uncontaminated items from the areas affected by the sewage backup as soon as possible. Only do this if the items are completely dry and have not come into contact with any contaminated water or raw sewage.

*Call your insurance company and let them know that a sewage backup has happened. They may have specific steps they want you to take in order for them to cover it, or they may have cleaning specialists that they want you to work with.

*Get in touch with a restoration company that specializes in water damage. Even if you think you can handle it on your own, professionals will have a better idea of the safest and most efficient approaches to cleaning the area and ensuring it’s completely safe again. In many cases, these companies will also work on repairing pipes, getting rid of unwanted odor, and extracting standing water, all of which will greatly decrease the stress of trying to handle everything on your own.

*If the sewage backup is the result of a clogged drain, do not immediately try to use powerful chemicals to unclog the pipes. These materials can actually make the situation work by deteriorating your sewer lines or older pipes. Your best bet is to consult with a professional plumber who can help you figure out what’s causing the problem and what the safest method of fixing it is.

*Both before and during the clean-up process, make sure that any pets and young children in the house are kept away from any areas affected by the sewage backup. Contaminated water and raw sewage can have huge impacts on the health of children and pets.

*If possible, turn off electricity to any areas of the home affected by the sewage backup, or to the house as a whole if necessary. You should only do this if the electrical panel is above water, and even then, you should take precautions such as using a wooden stick to flip the switch and wearing rubber gloves. If the panel is inaccessible or if you have any concerns about turning off your electricity, contact a professional electrician to help.

*Turn off any central air conditioning or HVAC system in your house, as water and dust that has been contaminated by sewage can get into the air conditioning and be spread around the house and into the air you and your family are breathing. Instead, open all the doors and windows in the house to air things out and let fresh air in.

*Slowly add tiny bits of chlorine bleach into any standing water. This will help disinfect contaminated water enough to at least make the removal and cleanup process slightly less dangerous.

*Whether your home is tied to a public sewer or a septic system that’s private, you should get in touch with a local sewage department or health department. You should let them know about the sewage backup so that they can discern whether there are any problems on their end, and they’ll also be able to offer advice on how to proceed.

*Take pictures both before and throughout the cleanup process. This should include pictures of any items that were damaged by the sewage backup, as well as floors, walls, or other housing materials that took on water damage. These photographs can help with insurance claims as well as with the process of repairing and replacing items that were damaged.

*Do whatever you can to stop cross-contamination from occurring. For example, you should shut all doors between the contaminated area and any other rooms. As previously mentioned, you should not use your central air system. You should not run fans that could blow contaminated elements into the air and spread them around the house.

The cleanup process after a sewage backup is fixed can take a long time, but it is needed to make sure you and your family are living in a safe and healthy environment afterward. Beyond that, however, you should also look into steps to prevent sewage backups from happening again.

Here are some steps you can take to stop any future sewage backups:

*Do not put strong chemicals down your drains or into your sewage systems.

*Do not flush diapers, napkins, tissues, or other items other than regular toilet paper down the toilet.

*Schedule regular inspections for your valves and pipes. When repairs are recommended, get them done as quickly as possible.

*Do not put grease down your drains; it can harden and lead to major clogs in the future.

*Avoid planting shrubbery or trees above or near sewage lines on your property. Roots from these plants have the potential to impact and even break the pipes.

Being careful about each of these steps can help save you tons of money and stress from potential sewage backups in the future. Sometimes these problems are unavoidable, though, in which case you should take the proper steps to fix the issues as swiftly as possible. Don’t be afraid to call a professional to help, either, as it’s better to spend some money and ensure things are actually clean than risk the health of yourself or loved ones.