Containment first
The affected rooms are closed off and air is controlled so the problem stays where it is. That happens before anything is moved or carried through the house.
Sewage Backup Cleanup
A drain backing up into a home is a health hazard, not just a mess. Keep people and pets out of the room, stop using water in the house and leave the cleanup to an independent provider with the right protection.
- Restoration Referrals
- Independent Pros
- Drying & Repairs
Signs That Need Attention
- Waste water coming up through a floor drain, tub or shower
- Several fixtures draining slowly or gurgling at once
- A toilet that overflows when the washer drains
- A strong sewer smell indoors
- Waste water under a vanity or behind a toilet base
Older neighborhoods around central Phoenix still have clay and cast-iron sewer lines, and desert trees such as mesquite, palo verde and ficus send roots straight toward a leaking joint. A backup that reaches the floor should be treated as contaminated whatever caused it.
What the Service Includes
Sewage work is done with containment and protective equipment, and porous materials that absorbed it are removed rather than cleaned.
Removal and disposal
Contaminated water, sludge and affected porous materials such as carpet, pad and the lower drywall are removed and disposed of, not dried in place.
Cleaning and drying
Hard surfaces are cleaned and treated, then the structure is dried and rechecked. Ask for a note of what was removed for the repair stage.
Your Options
While you wait, stop running water anywhere in the house, including the washer and dishwasher, because everything you send down the drain can come back up. Do not run the air conditioning or heating if waste water reached the floor, and keep the door to the room shut.
Sewage is a biohazard: gloves, closed shoes and staying out of the room are reasonable precautions for anyone, and anyone with a health condition should stay well clear.
Once removal is finished the drying stage is the same as any other job. See structural drying, water extraction and how a visit is arranged, or call for service now.
Sewage Backup Questions
Can I clean up a small sewage backup myself?
A small splash on hard tile can be cleaned with gloves and a disinfectant, then thrown away. Anything that soaked into carpet, pad, drywall or cabinet board should be handled by a crew with the right protection and disposal.
Does everything in the room have to be thrown out?
No. Hard, non-porous items can usually be cleaned. Porous items that absorbed waste water, including carpet pad and the bottom of drywall, are normally removed. The inspection lists which is which before anything is discarded.
How is a sewage backup scheduled?
Availability depends on the independent provider and the property location. When you call, say which fixtures are affected, whether it is still rising and whether anyone in the household has a health condition.
What affects the cost of sewage cleanup?
The affected area, how far the waste water traveled and how much porous material has to come out. Ask the independent provider to explain that on site before work starts. See all restoration services.
Arrange water damage service in Phoenix
Call and describe where the water came from and what it reached to check whether an independent provider is available.