hen a sewage backup strikes, it certainly can dampen your day. Having your sewer backup into your home messes up more than just your daily routine. Depending on how much damage the backup caused, you could be looking at anything from waiting a few hours to clean up the mess to not being able to use your home for days. Along with being inconvenient, sewage backups also pose several health risks if not dealt with properly. While sewage backups aren’t always preventable, there are some steps to take after it happens to reduce the amount of damage caused. Here is what to do after a sewage backup.
- Examine all of your toilets, sinks, and waste pipes for clogs. If you find anything that is clogged, attempt to clear it. However, calling a plumber for further assistance may be needed.
- Make sure that your kids and pets don’t go near the affected area. Sewage waste is hazardous to both humans’ and animals’ health.
- Do not use your toilets or sinks until the clog has been completely taken care of. If there is an issue in a mainline, sewage will begin to back up and come through your bathtubs or worse, into your basement.
- Shut the power off, but only if it is safe. Don’t go near the electrical equipment if it will harm you.
- If attempting to clean up, wear protective clothing – gloves, eyeglasses, a facemask, and boots.
- Ventilate the area to remove any fumes. Try opening windows to allow fresh air to flow into the affected area.
- Contact the professionals. Sewage backups should be dealt with as quickly as possible to preserve both your home and health. The professionals have the right tools and experience to get your home cleaned and restored in no time.
Is Sewage Dangerous?
Your sewer lines are responsible for transporting wastewater away from your home through underground plumbing. When these lines fail or clogs occur it can cause raw sewage to back up into your home. This sewage is a mixture of water, mineral salts, garbage, and human waste. Organic material such as human waste decomposes quickly and contain disease-causing pathogens which are hazardous to people’s health. Sewage is a health risk to any humans or animals living in the home and should be removed fast and completely after a backup.
Dealing with a sewage backup is dangerous. It’s important that you assess the situation and risks before attempting a cleanup by yourself. Hiring trained professionals to clean up a sewage backup ensures your safety and that the job is done right. At Cleaning and Restoration Specialists, we are experienced at restoring homes after a sewage backup. We want to ensure that your home looks as good or better than it did prior to the backup. Let the professionals at Cleaning and Restoration Specialists help restore your home today!
