Dealing with Sewage backup and how SERVPRO can help.Antioch Ca

6/2/2021 (Permalink)

sewage loss coming of from drain hole. Water damage, Fire damage, Mold Damage, Covid cleaning. Antioch, Ca EAst Bay area

7/16/2019

A sewage backup is one of the most troublesome and foul incidents that can occur in a home – it can cause extensive property damage and severe health effects and, on top of that, it is extremely difficult and unpleasant to deal with. Cleaning up sewer backup requires a lot of time and effort, as well as specialized disinfecting products and purification techniques. Raw sewage cleanup,  in particular, is especially laborious and risky as it not only causes a lot of hassle and inconveniences, but also presents a variety of health effects (sewage spills contain contaminants that can cause serious diseases) and sanitation issues. Professional help is your best option in such situations, but you can do a few things to limit the extent of the damage before the experts arrive (or even deal with the problem yourself if the damage is not too severe).

What to Do After Sewage Backup

There are certain important precautionary measures to take after a sewage backup in order to prevent the damage from spreading:

• Keep children and pets away from the affected area;
• Put on appropriate protective equipment – rubber gloves, rubber boots, impervious coveralls, protective eyewear, and a face mask;
• Switch off the electrical power to your home (only if the distribution panel is safely above water). Wear rubber gloves and use a dry wooden stick to shut off the main switch;
• Turn off any running water and don’t use the water supply system in your home (it may even be a good idea to turn off the water supply to the building);
• Open doors and windows to allow fresh air inside (do not use the central air conditioning system to ventilate your home as sewage-contaminated dust and water droplets can enter the HVAC system and contaminate it);
• Take any dry, un-contaminated items away from the affected area;
• Add small amounts of chlorine bleach to standing water to ensure some disinfection;
• Notify your insurance company that there has been a sewage spill in your home;
• Contact your municipal authority or sewage department (if your home is connected to a public sewer) or your local health department (if your home is connected to a private septic system) and ask for advice;
• Call a professional water damage restoration company. The quick and efficient intervention of the experienced technicians will save you a lot of time and effort and will provide the most appropriate, safest, and cost-effective solution to the problem. Besides, most sewage cleanup companies offer not only water extraction, but also quality repair works, odor removal, and content cleanup, so you will have all the aspects of the restoration process taken care of when using professional sewage cleanup services.

Good to remember:

• Take pictures of the sewage spill and the water-damaged items and structural materials before removing them or having anything cleaned up (the photographs will serve as proof for your insurance claim). Keep all the receipts for materials and replacements, as well as for the repair and cleaning works performed in your home;
• Do not use harsh chemicals to unclog the draining system as they can cause severe damage to the pipes and sewer lines. Opt for treatment methods that use enzymes instead of chemicals or call a plumber to fix the source of the problem;
• Take appropriate measures to prevent cross-contamination (keep the doors between the contaminated area and the other rooms in your home closed, do not use the central air conditioning system until the problem has been solved, keep air pressure in the contaminated area lower than in the rest of the building, etc.) to ensure that sewage contaminated soil won’t be tracked into unaffected areas of your property and airborne sewage-contaminated dust (or mold spores) won’t be blown to other spaces.

Good to remember: The longer the contaminated waters remain in your home or on your items, the greater the chance of spreading disease and causing a mold problem. You need to take quick and efficient measures in order to prevent greater damage and more serious troubles. Using professional sewage cleanup services is your best bet as the experts will respond to your situation in the quickest, safest, and most appropriate manner possible. The pros will use specialized cleaning products, advanced equipment, and proven techniques to remove water from your home and restore it to a safe and good condition. Their quality services include:

• Removing sewage water and solid waste in a safe and appropriate manner;
• Removing contaminated content;
• Cleaning and sanitizing the area;
• Using professional grade air movers to ventilate and dry the area;
• Performing any necessary repair and restoration works;
• Restoring salvageable content to its original good condition;
• Performing mold mitigation services (if necessary) and/or taking efficient measures to prevent mold growth.

Proper sewage cleaning will ensure your peace of mind and allow you to get your life back on track soon after the disaster.

Once the problem has been solved, however, make sure you take the necessary precautions to reduce the chance of sewage backup in the future.

How to Prevent Sewage Backup

• Regularly inspect the pipes and valves on your property and keep them in good repair;
• Do not allow large amounts of harsh chemicals into the sewer system;
• Avoid disposing of grease down the kitchen drain as it can harden within the plumbing and collect debris to create a clog;
• Don’t flush napkins, tissues, diapers, and other waste down the toilet;
• Don’t plant trees or large shrubs directly above or near sewer lines as the roots can grow too large and break the pipes.

These simple measures will help you avoid sewage problems in the first place and will save you a lot of time, money, and nerves. However, if a disaster happens despite your best efforts, make sure you identify and fix the problem that caused the sewage backup and call reliable water damage restoration professionals like SERVPRO of Antioch 925-706-0106  to handle the sewage backup cleanup and ensure the excellent condition of your property.