Sewage Cleanup and Sanitation in Cleveland, TN

When sewer lines become blocked, the thick, black water that forms as sewage is a health risk, and is extremely unsanitary as it contains contaminants like pathogens, bacteria, and viruses that may pose a risk of severe illness if exposed to humans or animals. If you have a sewer backed up in your basement, or your toilet backs up, you will need to fix it quickly, or you will end up with sewage all over your floors. Knowing the cause of sewer backups, however, may help you prevent a hazardous occurrence in your basement, home or business. Here’s a list of items that may help to prevent and handle sewage backups:

Sewage Backup Causes

• Considerable Rainfall – Excess flooding can overpower your town or city’s storm sewer system. If this happens, the waste can back up into the connected sewer lines bringing your home or business in possible compromise of water backflow. Increasing rivers and streams, hurricanes and other similar events can cause flood and sewage waters to mix and present genuine health related problems. You should be highly cautious when walking in this type of water, and even stay vigilant after the water recedes and dries up. It’s possible for the organic matter to turn aerosolized and able to be inhaled, meaning there’s a chance you could breathe it into your lungs. To prevent contact or risk of breathing in these contaminants, proper PPE should be worn at all times.
• Tree Roots – Trees can have strong roots that grow into water or sewer lines and crush or break them. Damage to pipes and a sewer backup can also be induced by tree roots that aren’t even on your premises. Be keenly aware of any tree roots that can reach your water and sewer lines that lead to the central sewer line or septic system.
• Old/Aging Sewer Lines – Older and aging sewage structures are susceptible to breaking down and cracking, causing sewer backups, sewer filled basements as well as entire home flooding. The older your neighborhood or house may raise the threat of this type of damage occurring.
• Clogged and Blocked Drain Pipes – If your home or business’s main sewer line or drain pipes become fouled, sewage may back up inside the dwelling. A fine example is: if a single toilet causes a sewage blockage, the drains connected to that toilet, or the main drain lines of more toilets, will also become backed up.

• Old and/or Damaged Lines – Aging sewage systems have a propensity to fail and crack, leading to sewer water influx and flooded homes or businesses full of sewage. If your home or neighborhood is older, the chance is greater that you’ll experience damaged sewer lines than newer ones.
• Copious Rainfall – Heavy and sudden rainfall can overpower your local storm sewer lines promptly. If these public sewer lines can’t deal with excess rainfall, water can backup and progress into connected sewer lines. This can put your home or business at risk of backflow difficulties. Area flood waters from events like rising rivers and creeks, hurricanes, or any similar weather events can cause clean water to blend with sewage water and other chemicals and contaminants that cause serious health ailments. Use extreme carefulness when wading in this type of waste, but also stay cautious once it dries. The dried organic material can turn airborne and turn respirable. Proper PPE needs to be worn at all times to prevent contact and risk inhaling contaminated air.
• Blocked/Clogged Sewer Lines – A fouled pipe or sewer line can cause sewage to back up into your home or business. If only one toilet becomes fouled, the sewer water backup can spread on to the sewer lines and affect all linked toilets on that line.
• Roots from Trees – Tree roots can wreak havoc on water and sewer lines. The roots from huge trees can maneuver into and around the lines and damage them excessively. If the roots on your property are not the cause, roots from nearby trees can cross property lines and ruin your sewer line, causing a sewage problem. Be extra aware of all tree roots that could affect your mainline sewer pipes and/or pipes that run to your septic tank.

PuroClean’s sewage cleanup and sanitation process in Cleveland, TN

Our cleaning and remediation procedures for Category 3 water (which describes sewer and contaminated water backup) according to the standards put in place by the IICRC industry are:

1. Ensure the safety of all personnel and occupants by managing onsite access to restoration personnel only to prevent health-related dangers

2. Health and Safety checks and assessment of the entire work premises.

3. Be positive that all restoration employees are equipped with the correct personal protection equipment (PPE). This includes but is not limited to:

• Rubber boots with steel toes and shank
• Full-face respirator
• Full body suit coverage
• Nitrile and cut resistant gloves

4. Engineering controls utilized and condemnatory barricades used (if needed) preventing cross-contamination.

5. Eliminating any and all lingering safety risks if possible.

6. Eradication of bulk water, dirt, and contaminates.

7. Disposing of any and all porous and semi-porous contaminated articles that are unable to be saved, which includes but is not limited to:

• Hardwood flooring
• Padded and upholstered items
• Gypsum board
• Carpet, rugs, pad, or underlayment
• Vinyl flooring and underlayment

8. Implement cleaning methods and use of EPA approved biocides and antimicrobials

9. Physical cleaning of all remaining structures

10. It is approved to schedule a third party Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) for a safety clearance inspection to ensure the jobsite is returned to pre-loss state for health and safety.

11. All materials affected by excess waters are to be dried and returned to pre-loss dry condition

12. Post restoration cleaning of all tools and machinery used

13. All materials from demolition work removed completely

Call PuroClean for your Professional Cleveland, TN Sewage Cleanup Needs!

When a sewage drain pipe backup happens in your home or business, call the PuroClean professionals for sewage removal and cleaning services. Our specialists use state-of-the-art tools, methods and cleaning systems to completely remediate the damaged structures and contents.

The professional nature of our sewage removal and cleaning services, the speed in which we deliver them, and the compassion we demonstrate throughout the whole process make PuroClean your ideal damage restoration and remediation company. We will strive to do whatever it takes to restore and rescue properties in all the areas we serve.

*Not all PuroClean offices provide sewage cleanup and sanitation cleaning services.